The Trip Home 2
by mskathy
Summary: Bella, Edward, and Jasper have committed to each other and set about creating a life together. They experience the normal ups and downs of married life, along with some unique challenges. Poly E/B/J
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I am so thankful that you are back for the next leg of this trip (hehe) with me, and these three. It means the world to me that you all loved these characters as much as I did — enough to want more. Thank you. This story will be updating each Wednesday, unless otherwise noted in the update.**

**To my beta, TwilightMundi, you are the wind beneath my wings. Thank you to afeistyginger and stephk0525 who both played sexy pre-readers this chapter. **

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

The plane had just gone wheels up, and I was full of excitement.

It was hard to believe it had been five years since we were last in Greece, but on the final leg of our exhausting journey back, all I could do was smile like a lunatic.

"I'm so glad you got the time off," I said, squeezing Jasper's hand.

"Yeah, well, if Coach had tried to fuck with me, he'd have found himself minus one star player."

I rolled my eyes at the way his ego had inflated.

"Besides," he continued, "I haven't had a vacation in five years. I think I deserve some time off."

Edward had his headphones in already, dozing on the other side of me. His hand was lazily resting in mine as he slept, and would periodically squeeze mine. Every time it happened, I smiled at the way he kept me close, checking to make sure I was still there, even when he had no conscious idea he was doing so.

"True," I said. "I'm glad that Carlisle and Edward were able to time things just right."

I couldn't have been more excited. Two weeks, alone, together. So much had changed about my boys, yet the best things stayed the same. With Edward and Carlisle opening a joint practice in the next few months, we had a lot of work to do, but agreed to take a vacation before, knowing there wouldn't be much time once things were up and running.

It certainly didn't hurt that it was also our five-year anniversary — a milestone everyone outside of our relationship (with the exception of maybe Alice) was surprised about. None of us was surprised, though. We'd survived the distance when we first met, having to hide after we moved in together, and then planning a wedding together. We got a brief reprieve after the wedding was over, but there had been five years of residency, soccer stardom, and utter confusion about my life path on my part.

I still wasn't entirely certain what I wanted to do with my days, but thanks to the new practice, I had plenty to keep me busy. I knew Esme and Carlisle would work on some things that needed to be done to open the office while we were gone, but they'd also taken a week off to enjoy each other. Lingerie shopping with Esme had been … an experience. I did not need to know that much about my father-in-law, that was for sure.

Soon after we'd arrived home from our honeymoon, we put an offer in on a house. When that fell through, we found another. I'd taken it upon myself to get the house exactly as we all wanted, with Jasper helping when he could. Edward had felt guilty, offering multiple times to hire a decorator or a college kid to help unpack our things, but that just didn't make sense to me. I was free, my own guilt nagging at me at not using my college degree.

By the time things were really in place at the house, Edward was done with his residency and trying to figure out what he wanted to do. The day Carlisle suggested they open a practice together was one of the highlights of our time together. Edward was relieved to have direction, and frankly, it gave me something new and fun to do as well. Jasper just loved and supported us, as usual, content to have me do whatever I loved whether or not it meant I was earning an income.

Beneath our shared blanket, Jasper snaked his hand over my thigh, bringing my thoughts back to the present, and I smiled at him. His hand crept higher, teasing the seam of my jeans. When he began to press harder, I leaned back and closed my eyes.

"You better stop soon," Edward whispered across my body.

"Killjoy," I said.

Edward laughed. "Are you kidding me? You're moaning so loud, I'm surprised the flight attendant hasn't come up here to see who's being murdered. Or blown."

I hadn't realized I'd been so loud, but I quickly moved my hand under the blanket to rest on top of Jasper's, forcing it to be still.

"Plenty of time for that later," Jasper said.

"Mmm, I hope so. Edward was sleeping through most of it," I said.

I tried to behave the rest of the flight, but I admit, my hand snuck under Edward's blanket when he fell asleep again. He was a good sport about it, even though I know he was exhausted from the last bits of his residency. I was amped up, ready for privacy and a soft bed to lie in, even if I was exhausted from all of the travel.

To distract myself, I spent the balance of our flights thinking about all of the places we'd been the last time we were in Greece, and which ones I wanted to go back to. I made a list of restaurants and cafes I wanted to be sure to visit, and then made another list of things I wanted to bring back for friends. I dozed for a bit, then woke up during our layover in Athens.

When we finally got to Santorini and Jasper gave the address to the taxi driver, I had to laugh. Of course Jasper had rented the same villa. Of course.

The boys loaded our luggage and we were on our way in no time. After we arrived, we unpacked and I couldn't help but wander around quickly, taking in what had changed around the place. There was a chef — a different one this time — and apparently a housekeeper that would be arriving later in the week.

"I want all of your free time for us, not cooking or cleaning," Jasper had said, his scruff tickling my neck as his lips moved.

"Yes please."

Before I could even finish my sentence, he'd grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bedroom. Poor Edward was already sprawled on the bed, sleeping. We laughed and undressed, then slowed down to take our time with each other. I scooted back on the bed as Jasper slid between my thighs, stalking like a predator as he moved his hands up my body.

Small noises filled the air and any time either of us would turn and look at Edward, we'd giggle, but the other person would bring us back with a reminder of what we were doing. Slowly, we made love and reconnected, our bodies tightening and then letting go completely. It took every last reserve of energy to clean myself up after, and I collapsed onto the bed snuggled against Edward when I was done. Jasper curved his body to fit against mine, and we napped together for several hours.

When I woke up, the boys were gone. I stretched, cat-like, and put on a robe before making my way into the kitchen. There was food on the table, both of them picking and nibbling, and I sat on Edward's lap.

"Feeling more rested?" I asked.

My arm wound around his neck and I tilted his head up to kiss me, not bothering to wait for his answer. Apparently, at the very least, _I_ was feeling well-rested.

He mumbled against my lips, his tugging into a smile. He tasted like the gorgeous fruit on the table, mixed with Jasper and his own sweet taste, and I finally let go after several slow, sweet kisses.

"Someone had a nice nap," Jasper said, teasing.

"I did," I said. "Now I'm ready for more of you guys. Let's get this vacation started right."

"You don't have to ask me twice," Edward said.

We stood up together, Jasper following close behind. I tugged at Edward's scrub pants, loosening the string that kept them up. As they fell to the ground at the foot of the bed, I got down on my knees and looked up at him. One quick swipe up the length of him was all he got before I put my lips all the way around him. I licked and sucked as I pushed my mouth further down his cock, taking all of him inside of me.

Jasper was behind me, untying my robe and pushing it off my shoulders. When he had me naked, his hand snaked between my thighs, then pulled, lifting my lower half so I was standing, bent at the waist while I sucked Edward's cock. He lowered himself, kissing down my back and over the swell of my ass, until he was at my pussy, kissing and licking. I pushed back against him, wanting and needing more.

His hand slapped my ass and surprised me, causing me to lurch forward against Edward's body and take him even deeper.

"Up on the bed," Jasper said.

Yes, Sir.

"Edward, lay down. Bella's going to straddle you."

I raised an eyebrow at Edward, both of us grinning and ready, as he laid back on the bed, waiting for me with open arms. I crawled on top of him, straddling his body as Jasper had instructed. When I sank down, I had to close my eyes, the sensation of being filled by him something I wasn't sure I'd ever get used to. They both had a profound ability to affect me and I easily imagined us in twenty years, still laughing and playing in bed.

Once I was in position, Edward moving slowly in and out of me, Jasper was behind me again. His fingers played with my body, slick with lube, as they opened and relaxed me. We'd gotten to a point where we didn't need a ton of foreplay when we engaged in anal, but Jasper still took his time teasing me. It was never a means to an end, but rather an entire experience for all of us.

A few minutes later, I felt him rub himself up and down between my cheeks as Edward and I moved together. I couldn't wait, a quiet noise escaping my lips at the desire that had built up. As Jasper pushed forward, entering me carefully, Edward's thumb reached out and traced the small triquetra tattoo on my hip. I smiled at him, leaning in to kiss him harder.

We moved together — choppy and uncoordinated at first as we found our rhythm, but when things smoothed out, it was as if it had been choreographed. Every movement, each thrust and push and pull, all combined and overwhelmed me. I was panting and whimpering, ready to come at any moment, thanks in no small part to both of their hands touching exactly where I wanted. I felt my muscles squeeze and tense, my entire body set on fire by them, as I almost lost control of myself when I began to orgasm.

Jasper was the first to falter and break the rhythm, his thrusts becoming more pounding and demanding as he pushed himself into his orgasm, too. His grip on my hips tightened and I squeezed Edward, pleasure still rolling through me. After Jasper had come, he pulled away and disposed of the condom, coming back to us quickly and resuming his not-so-gentle touches.

When his hand pushed me up to more of a sitting position, I couldn't help but feel a rush of pleasure, knowing he was going to help coax a second orgasm from me. Edward's face turned almost pained as one of Jasper's hands disappeared behind me, and I imagined him teasing Edward in a similar fashion to what he'd done with my body. It wasn't long before I was coming again, Edward falling apart beneath me.

Thankfully, Jasper had brought a towel back from the bathroom, and I laid it beneath my body once I'd slid off Edward, still panting and attempting to regain my sanity.

Jasper laid between Edward and me, and we were gently touching each other. Being in Greece had been magical for us, and the second time was proving to be just as magical as the first. I was happy, sated, and ready to swim and eat again. Well, once I was recovered.

"I love you," Edward said.

His words had startled me out of my thoughts. Jasper and I echoed his sentiment back to him and I lifted my head to look at him, noticing he was tracing Jasper's ink.

"Sometimes, I think about those crazy lonely nights in Boston, and I never imagined it would be this good," I said.

"Just imagine how great it'll be once we have a little one," Edward said, his voice lifting with hope.

"Someday soon, sweets. Just not yet."

Poor Jasper was always stuck in the middle of these conversations — this time literally. He had no opinion on when or even if we should have kids, but he always listened to us discuss it. Edward had never pressured me, I just knew he was ready. He knew (and respected) that I wasn't, even though he'd argued that there would never be a right time. He was right, there was no perfect time, but we needed to get through opening the practice first, I'd argued.

The truth was, I wanted more time with them by myself. Sure, it was selfish, but we had eighteen-plus years once we had a child together, and I wanted more of just us before it was altered significantly. I'd seen Rose, Emmett, and Alice and their struggle to manage to have a private life with their children around, and they were making it so far, but it was still not easy. I'd babysat for them, and it was insane. Being around kids was fun, but much harder than I ever thought. They'd added baby Sadie to their family, bringing them up to two girls. Emmett still laughed and joked about adding a boy, but both women seemed bound and determined that they were done, each having given birth.

I knew what a source of stress and strain the kids had added to their personal lives as well, and although they were still all committed to each other and in love, it scared me.

Terrified me.

All of that was forgotten when Edward stood up, still naked, his long and lean body on display for me. I could see his mouth moving, but couldn't really hear what he was saying. He might as well have asked me what the secret to life was — I was rendered stupid when I looked at either of them like that.

"Bella?" Jasper said, one of his hands tweaking my exposed nipple.

"Hey! Hmmm?"

"Edward wants to go swim," Jasper said. "Wanna put a suit on or go commando?"

"Suit, for sure."

Jasper got up off the bed, walking out of the bedroom toward the porch. "I think I'll chance it…"

Oh Jesus. He was really going to swim naked, and I was supposed to resist that?

It occurred to me that maybe that was the point — he didn't want anyone to resist anything. I was good with that option.

Edward helped with my bikini and we joined Jasper in the cool, blue water, the sun warming us as we splashed and played. I couldn't help it, I teased Jasper at every opportunity, and so did Edward. After a bit, I just wanted to lie in the warm sunshine, so I climbed out, sprawling on the chaise lounge. It was a lovely view as they seemed to be grinding against each other in the pool, making out, hands wandering.

I let my own hand wander beneath my bikini bottoms as I watched, not necessarily to bring myself to orgasm; I just wanted to channel the nervous sexual frustration as they teased each other. When Jasper helped lift Edward out, settling between his thighs in the shallow end of the water, I gasped. Jasper was so, so eager to please, and Edward leaned back on his hands, face full of bliss. The glare of the sun beat against their skin as they got lost in each other.

I could only see Jasper's back and Edward's front as their bodies met, and I watched as Jasper's muscles flexed, holding him up and out of the water, but also, I was certain, stroking and helping him tease Edward more. When Jasper's head moved up and down, my mind filled in what I couldn't actually see, and I stroked myself faster.

One of Edward's hands went to Jasper's hair, threading through the wet strands and pulling and pushing, and I lost it. My fingers pressed harder and faster against my clit as I gave myself an orgasm. I had to fight for my eyes to stay open, watching them and thinking about how sexy they were together… thinking about how _I_ was lucky enough to be a part of that. Not just the sex, but the connection and intimacy they shared.

My hand stayed in my bottoms once my orgasm was over, my entire body spent again. Edward groaned and Jasper's movements stilled. After Edward had clearly come, he laid back, legs still dangling in the water, body flat against the border of the pool, and I giggled. He, too, was obviously spent.

Jasper was going to be the death of us. How he sometimes had enough stamina to exhaust us both would always be a mystery. A very fun mystery.

The rest of the day was spent lounging and relaxing — recovering from jet lag — and then a ridiculously early bedtime, considering Edward had napped. When I fell asleep, I had a full belly from the feast of meats and vegetables the chef prepared for dinner with baklava for dessert, and a full heart from Edward and Jasper.

~0~

Morning was early. So early, the sun had barely risen in the sky, but we were all well-rested and ready to go. We walked to our favorite cafe from the last visit and sat for a morning boost.

"What do you want to do today? I have my list right here," I said, turning to dig in my bag.

"What is it with you and lists?" Jasper asked.

"I like to make sure I don't miss anything."

"Do you have a dirty list?"

"In my head," I said, raising an eyebrow. "You have a problem with that?"

"Nope."

"So, as I was saying, I have a list of things I want to make sure I don't miss. Maybe we could do some sight-seeing today since we're up and at it so early, then do shopping on a more lazy day?"

They both nodded and I set my list on the table, walking them through the options. Of course, neither really cared much what we did — we'd seen most of the sights we were desperate to see the last time, but they went along willingly with the plan I laid out for the day, which involved touring a winery.

It was so much fun to relax with them and walk around the winery. We weren't too concerned about people whispering about is. We were used to it, and most of the time, it never even occurred to me that people might have a problem with our unusual arrangement.

In the car on the way back to the villa, we were all happily tipsy and looking forward to dinner and nighttime. We arrived home to another giant feast of delectable foods, stuffing ourselves full of Greek delicacies like dolmas and spanikopita. Thankfully, dessert was just cut up fresh fruit, so we put it in the fridge for the morning.

We sat on the couch together, resting our tired feet, and watched a movie. Edward had his head in my lap, and I was stroking his hair. Jasper was on the other side of me, and his hands would sometimes join mine, other times resting on my knee or another part of my body. By the time the movie was over, we were all exhausted again.

We brushed our teeth together, laughing and smiling at the sink as we made foamy-mouthed faces at each other. We crawled into bed together, touching and soothing and reminding each other of the goodness we'd created. I was certain I'd be the first one asleep, but instead I found myself wide awake between them, thinking about the ways our lives would have been vastly different if we'd had less faith in each other, and in the three of us together.

I wondered if Jasper and Edward would have gone to Greece on their honeymoon, or if Jasper and I would have had babies by now, or would Edward have moved to Boston and finished med school there?

It was pointless, but I couldn't stop my mind from wandering.

When we did have babies, how would we do it? Was there some high-tech insemination method they wanted to try, so we could somehow combine their genes? I didn't really want that. I wanted to have a baby the old-fashioned way. The fact that I was contemplating just how we'd have kids was a sure sign to me that I'd crept one step closer to actually wanting them. I decided to talk to them about it sometime over our trip, and solidify a plan to get pregnant.

Finally, a little after 2AM according to the bedside clock, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, ready to rest my brain and body.

When Jasper was wide awake at eight, I almost smacked him. Thankfully, once I explained I hadn't had enough sleep, they agreed to a calm day of wandering the city. The entire day, I felt on edge, though. At lunch, we stopped to grab coffee and a quick bite to eat, and my thoughts from the night before came back.

"Hey," I said, looking at Edward. "How'd you imagine me getting knocked up?"

He nearly choked on his salad, and I couldn't blame him. Crazy sleep-deprived no-context girl had thrown him a curveball.

"Um. I'm not sure. I thought we'd talk about it and decide," he said. "What were you thinking?"

My eyebrows curved together, lines appearing on my face. "I'm not sure, but I don't want to be wearing a hospital gown with my legs spread for some stranger, you know?"

Jasper laughed so hard, people started to stare. Or, well, maybe they were staring at my brash words. I couldn't be sure.

"I know what you mean," Edward said. "Does it matter to you? I mean, I'm trying to find a delicate way to ask this." He tapped his fingers on the table. "Actually," he said, turning to Jasper, "does it matter to _you_?"

"Well," Jasper paused.

"Wait, I think it shouldn't matter," I said, unable to hold my thoughts in. "I mean, we're a family. It doesn't matter who the genetic father is, right? You're both going to love any child we create together, right?"

Suddenly, I was panicked. What if Jasper didn't feel that way? What if Edward only wanted his own genetic kids?

"Of course we will," Edward said as Jasper nodded in agreement.

Of course. What in the fuck was wrong with me? Of course they would both love any child.

"So if it doesn't matter, then let's just have lots of crazy monkey sex and see what happens."

"You know that sounds good to me," Jasper said, laughing.

Edward grabbed my hand. "Does that mean you're ready?"

"Not yet, but I think I'm ready to start thinking about it," I said. "I need to mentally run through the practicalities and possibilities."

They both laughed and rolled their eyes. Whatever. I needed time to get used to all of the changes. We'd all evolved in the five years we'd been committed. I wanted to talk to Esme and get her perspective, find out what raising a kid was like in her house, and see what she thought about this whole thing. Wouldn't the genetic father be completely obvious?

The idea of either of the boys with a baby did make me kinda swoony, though, I had to admit. Then my practical side would kick in, remember the poop and screaming, and I reverted back to my original desire to wait just a little longer.

Regardless of waiting or going ahead, we finished our food and walked hand-in-hand through the rest of the city, stopping in shops periodically and just enjoying the down time together.

I sent Esme an email that night and asked to have lunch with her a few days after we got back. I knew we'd all be busy with the practice opening up, but she was someone I could trust and talk to. Of course there would be conversations with Alice, too, but I also knew those would happen organically.

There was so much to think about, it was tempting to lose myself in worry, but I tried to focus and be in the moment as much as possible over the next few days. We wouldn't have a chance to take a vacation like that again for a long time, especially if we brought kids into the equation, and I wanted to immerse myself in them.

By our last day of vacation, I'd succeeded in forgetting that there was even an outside world. Our last few days had been spent entirely in the villa. We would wake up, shower in some configuration of people, have breakfast, have orgasms, relax by the pool or swim, watch a movie or read together, and have dinner. Of course, the order of certain things was subject to change, but the freedom of no deadlines or phones ringing was an amazing gift we gave each other.

On the flight home, I pulled out my planner and started making checklists of things to do before the office could open its doors. I'd meet with Esme on Monday morning to go over what was left to take care of in the few days before the planned opening, and I hoped we could sneak away for a private lunch during that time to talk about the future. She'd responded positively to my email but we hadn't planned anything specific, hoping we'd have enough time to make it a spontaneous trip.

I was excited and proud for Edward to open his practice with Carlisle. I was even a little excited about the possibility of being pregnant, although the pre-pregnancy activities had me most excited. Jasper would be going back to training and playing soon, and I thought about whether I wanted to stay on as the medical office manager or wanted to do something else with my days. It was a luxury of choice I realized I was very lucky to have.

I spent the rest of the flight dozing, ecstatic but terrified at all of the changes about to happen.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi, who always has time for me, despite my super-human ability to have a laundry list of projects that prevents me from writing until the very last minute. I love you endlessly and can't thank you enough.**

**A few notes ... I've marked this story Edward/Bella only because I didn't have the option to mark it Edward/Bella/Jasper. A few people asked. Sorry for any potential hurt, confusion, or upset.**

**I've placed an image of their tattoo on the blog version of this chapter. You can go to www dot mskathy dot com to view that, if you'd like.  
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**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

_I spent the rest of the flight dozing, ecstatic but terrified at all of the changes about to happen._

When we landed and had our luggage, Edward walked to the long-term parking and grabbed our car. Jasper had me curled against him as we waited at the curb. I was exhausted and more than ready to climb into our bed. I needed a good night of sleep to get off the ground running with Edward and Carlisle's practice. We had precious little time left before the doors opened, and although Esme had taken care of things like ordering office supplies, getting new furniture, and overseeing some remodeling of the building we'd picked before I left, there was still so much to do.

"Ready for bed?" he asked, squeezing me against him tighter.

"Yeah."

"I can tell." He laughed, then kissed the top of my head. "We'll get you tucked in so you can rest. Poor woman, double-teamed for fourteen days and nights…"

I giggled; yes, poor poor me. "I enjoyed every second, in case you couldn't tell, but yeah, I'm … exhausted. You two are more than a handful."

"I'll say," he said, winking over his shoulder as he moved to open the car door for me.

I rolled my eyes and got in, buckling my seat belt and waiting for them to load the bags. Normally I would have helped, but I just wanted to close my eyes again. I'd slept a bit on the plane, but my body still ached with the fatigue that had seeped into my bones. It was as if the two weeks of going non-stop had finally come crashing down on me. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the window.

The next time my eyes opened, we were home. I smiled.

_Home._

"Need help?" I asked Edward after I'd climbed out of the SUV and walked to the back.

"No thanks," he said. "You can go lay down if you want. Jasper just took a load of bags in and he'll help."

"Okay."

I was content to let them do the heavy lifting; if they needed help, they would have asked. As I walked by Jasper on his way back out, he gave me a quick peck and a swat on the ass, which made me laugh. Once inside, I curled in my favorite reading spot and grabbed my e-reader, settling in to finish the book I was in the middle of. Edward came into the library a bit later to check his email, dropping a throw blanket over me on his way to the desk. We shared a smile and I sank down into the chaise a little more, letting my eyes close once I'd set my book aside.

The smell of food woke me up and I realized it had been a few hours. The sun had set, and in the kitchen, the boys moved together effortlessly. I snuck in and sat at the table, watching them until finally Jasper noticed me. His smile made my toes tingle, and I looked down at the table. I fidgeted, wondering what the rest of the night would be like.

"Do you need any help?" I asked quietly, looking back up at them.

"We got it," Jasper said, giving me another smirk. "Almost done, actually. Wanna grab the plates?"

"I'd love to."

I got up and set the table quickly, bringing the plates and glasses and silverware on each pass to the table. I thought about the dishes as I set them down in their spots, how they were special to us. We didn't register for a lot of things when we got married, but these were something we all agreed on. The pattern was something each of us liked, and I thought it was surely some kind of miracle or sign we just _had_ to register for them. Carlisle and Esme had purchased them for us, and Esme made me promise to use them often.

My fingertips traced the silver edge as I thought about our kids using the same china.

"I think I'm ready," I said to no one in particular.

"Jasper's almost ready, too," Edward said. "Thanks for setting the table." He wrapped his arm around me, using the other to sweep my hair away from my neck, then lowered his mouth to my skin.

"No, I mean, I think I'm ready to have kids."

"What made you change your mind?" Jasper asked, setting his platter on the table and taking his seat.

"I'm not sure. I just feel … ready."

Edward pulled my chair out for me, and once I was seated, moved to his normal spot. "What makes you sure you won't change your mind?" he asked, digging in to the pasta.

I shrugged.

"Who says you two won't change your minds tomorrow and give me the boot?" I asked, twirling a forkful of pasta.

As I chewed, they laughed and shook their heads.

"I want that," I said, changing my tone to make sure they knew how serious I was. "I want to see what happens when we just throw caution to the wind, and let nature take its course. I want to see what our babies look like. I want to hear them call me Mommy. I want to see you cradle them. I've thought about it a lot over the last few days, and you guys know me, I won't change my mind. If either of you aren't on board anymore, we can wait, I just wanted to put it out there that I'm ready."

The rest of the meal was mostly small-talk, or pockets of quiet as we devoured the food. When the kitchen was cleaned up, we decided to head to sleep early. We all had to be awake insanely early to start the week and there was no time to waste with jetlag. Of course, I'd napped — maybe the boys had too, I wasn't sure.

In the bathroom, we shared the counter space as we brushed our teeth, and I was practically giddy. I had no idea if it was simply left over from being so tired or the lightness I felt at having made a decision. I stole glances at both of them, the three of us grinning like kids in the candy store. Although our bedroom usually made me feel that way, I knew we were all too worn out for any fun that night. Before we left the bathroom, I threw away my pack of birth control pills.

As predicted, we snuggled together under the covers but no one made any moves.

"Are you scared?" Edward asked from his spot behind me.

"No," I said. "Not really. I have you guys. I don't have anything to worry about."

"Good answer," Jasper said, leaning to kiss my lips.

"Are _you_ guys scared?"

"A little bit. I mean, I hear the guys on the team complain about their wives sometimes, after they have kids," Jasper said. "Things change."

"Yeah."

"Well, things have to change for a bit, you know?" Edward said. "Everything will be chaotic, and then it will re-balance. It'll be a lot of work."

"But we have more hands than most couples," I said.

Jasper grinned and I could see it even in the dark of the room. "True."

"And Esme and Carlisle and Charlie and… _so__many_ people around us that love us."

"Very true," Edward said.

"And we have each other," I said.

No one dared to say anything else, the perfection of the moment something we couldn't possibly have ever planned. We were all on the same page, and we all knew which steps we were taking together, into the future… and soon, I hoped.

The next day, Jasper had been adorably tempting, in bed all by himself and naked. He'd pushed the giant comforter down, stroked himself, and almost begged us to stay.

"Later, I promise," I said, kissing him quickly.

Edward and I left to meet Esme and Carlisle at the office. We were so close to being ready to open our doors, and that was good considering how soon the actual open date was. By the following Monday, we needed to be finished. We'd been taking calls and booking appointments like mad thanks to Carlisle's experience.

"We going to hire some staff, get this place going?" Esme asked as we unpacked boxes of supplies and loaded the cabinets in each exam room.

"I don't know. I was thinking maybe I'd stay on as the office manager. We can hire a receptionist."

The grin that spread across my face wasn't premeditated, but I thought about waddling through the halls, swollen and ready to burst with the life inside of me. Someday. I'd need to get someone to take over during that time, for sure.

"You have the look of a lady that just spent two weeks with her husbands," Esme said with a sigh. "I seriously need to look into that."

"Why didn't you and Carlisle go anywhere before we opened?"

Esme rolled her eyes and laughed. "Have you seen Carlisle? Just try to get him to leave his work behind."

"Behind?" Carlisle said, his voice full of playfulness. "Whose behind are you ladies discussing?"

"No one's," Esme replied. "But if you'd like, we can certainly discuss your fine ass. Not that I've seen it much lately…"

Her arched eyebrow conveyed everything I never wanted to know, and I politely excused myself once they began to kiss. It was sweet, but ew.

"Hey, baby," Edward said when I walked into his office.

I practically fell into the chair, the day already taking its toll. "Wanna grab lunch? I have a feeling Carlisle is going to be grabbing something else, so I hightailed it out of there. Let's give them some privacy?"

"I'd love to. Where do you want to go?"

I hummed, thinking about what sounded the best. "How about the cafe around the corner?"

He stood up and I joined him, our hands linking together. "Perfect," he said.

We got seated quickly and poured over the menu, ordering ourselves some sandwiches.

"Think we should get something to go for the lovebirds?" I asked after a sip of Diet Coke.

"That's a nice idea," Edward said. "You're so considerate."

I loved it when we had easy, casual moments to reconnect. It would have been perfect if Jasper had been there, but the knowledge that he was waiting at home for us, or would be waiting at home for us once he was done at practice … sweaty and hot … or maybe fresh from his shower, squeaky clean … it was distracting, to say the least.

The rest of the afternoon, we worked easily, the four of us tackling things mostly individually. When I took a break to make a coffee run, Esme came with me. She was so happy, glowing and all that shit. It made me smile, but again, was just a little bit ew.

"You guys hosting Thanksgiving this year?" she asked as we waited in line.

"I hadn't thought about it. Do you not want to host?"

I hoped something else wasn't going on with them, but I worried.

"No, no," she said, placing her hand on my arm. "I just thought it might be nice. I'm still all over Christmas, but maybe it would be nice to relax and let you take a holiday. You can invite Charlie and Sue, and all your friends."

"I'll think about it. It sounds nice, but a lot of work. Will you help?"

I was scared shitless at the prospect of hosting so many people at my house, but also thrilled and excited that Esme trusted me enough to hand over one of her traditional entertaining days.

"Of course," she said, squeezing my arm.

The cashier took our order and we moved to wait by the barista, switching out conversation to all office talk. We were looking ahead of schedule for our opening, and that eased the stress on both of us, and seemed to for Carlisle and Edward as well. I knew there would probably be times in the future that we'd get frustrated with working together, but it was nice to accomplish so much together.

By the time we left, my body ached from the bending, stretching, lifting, and other work we'd done. Edward drove us home, and I thought about how much I needed a hot bath.

"Wanna grab takeout on the way home, or do you want me to cook?"

"We can do takeout," Edward said, smiling at me. "Chinese or Indian? And why don't you text Jasper and ask what he wants."

"Yum, Indian."

I tapped away, texting Jasper as music from the radio filled the silent space in the car. When he replied, my laugh was so loud it startled Edward.

"He's being difficult," I explained. "Responding to me with lots of dirty suggestions he's hungry for."

"Well, at least one of us isn't entirely exhausted. Hope he picked up the kitchen like he promised."

I had to laugh; they both tried to pitch in with the housework, but it was hilarious to me when they got pissy with each other (or me) over the dumbest things. In my next reply, I made sure to mention the kitchen, doing my best to try and keep the peace between all of us.

_The counters are so clean I could eat off of them. Eat you off of them. On them? Fuuuck. How far away are you?_

Oh, Jasper. I shook my head, but shivered. After a deep breath, I dialed our favorite Indian place on the way home and ordered. I didn't really need either of them to tell me what they wanted — the two of them could be such creatures of habit at times. It was adorable and annoying any time I wanted them to try something new and be adventurous.

"Hey, so your mom asked me about hosting Thanksgiving at our house. What do you think about that?"

"That sounds nice," Edward said. "The three of us can definitely tackle it. You want to?"

"Yeah, I think so."

When we got home with the food, Jasper was on the sofa in his pajama pants, watching the news. While he wasn't out in the media, the team all knew about our life together. He lived in near-constant fear that the press would get ahold of juicy details and out him, effectively ending his career. Suddenly, I realized why he'd been so tightly-wound the last few days, and that our returning from vacation meant perhaps questions he wasn't ready to deal with.

"Hey, Jazz," I said, smiling over at him though my heart was pained. "Anything good on?"

He grumbled and turned the TV off, then tossed the remote and followed us into the kitchen. "What'd you get me?"

"Your favorite, duh," Edward said, turning to kiss him. "Thanks for taking care of the dishes."

Jasper mumbled a reply and bit his stubble-covered jawline. Edward's hands tightened around the container he'd been holding and I smirked at them.

"Dinner first, boys."

"You already sound like a mom," Jasper whined, pulling away from Edward.

"Hey!" I smacked his arm. "Maybe I just want you to have enough energy to keep up with me…"

As I laughed, he growled. I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head to our plates. I was fucking starving.

We flopped on the couch, Edward and me putting our legs over Jasper's lap, and ate. Thankfully, Jasper didn't rush us as we all decompressed and talked about our days. He'd had a challenging workout, and was looking forward to his game. We talked to him about Thanksgiving and went through what we'd gotten accomplished at the offices. He was genuinely proud of what we were doing, and that felt nice. There was external validation there that hadn't come from setting up the house and getting things arranged perfectly, or finding just the right couch or bed.

With a full belly, I walked to the bathroom to get ready for the night. I needed sleep, but I wanted my husbands more. I undressed, brushed my teeth, found my favorite lotion, and made myself feel pretty. I picked out a pretty nightgown and slipped the silk over my head, sighing as the cool touch of it snaked along my skin. It was long, off-white with accents of lace; demure by most standards, but it made me feel sexy and sensual. Just as I'd finished up, Edward and Jasper walked in and brushed their teeth. I watched, not because I was waiting and impatient for them, but because I liked to see them together. Sometimes it felt like a reflection of what they were like with me, and it was interesting to be able to see that from the outside. Even without words, they passed the toothpaste at the right time, coordinating and moving in sync. Their toothbrushes joined mine and I smiled.

Slow wasn't an accurate way to describe the way we spent that night. It was true, but not accurate. We moved with certainty and purpose, but gently and with so much more love than I ever thought possible.

"I want to watch you," Jasper had said, moving away from my body.

"What do you want to see?" I asked, breathless. I was really curious, only halfway wanting to hear him say the dirty things out loud that I knew were true.

Edward moved above me, my legs surrounding his hips as he pressed some of his weight against my body. "Hi," he said, my favorite lopsided smirk on his face.

"Hey there," I deadpanned. "Sup?"

We all laughed, but when he dipped down and his hard body slid against my softness, I closed my eyes and mouth.

"That's what I want to see," Jasper said quietly. "The way you two move together. The way Edward makes you come. The way Edward's eyebrows furrow when he comes."

"Touch me," I said. "Please."

I'd grown so used to both of them, all of us loving each other, and I didn't want to be without Jasper. It didn't matter where he touched me, just that he was there, too. When the bed shifted, I opened my eyes and watched Jasper move behind Edward. I wondered if he'd changed his mind, and felt a stab of jealousy that he was going to touch Edward.

He did touch Edward, but his hands moved between our bodies, touching me, too. His cool fingers slid up and down the length of my slit before dipping in. My body arched, reaching for the pleasure he brought. When he pulled his fingers out, I wanted to whine and pout, but I felt the familiar press of the head of Edward's cock and whimpered. I could hear them whispering to each other, kissing occasionally, and I was impatient. Lifting my hips, I pressed, begging him to push inside.

Jasper moved back to my side, curling one arm beneath my head and kissing me hard as Edward finally thrust into me. Edward lowered his mouth, joining his lips with ours for a moment. Separating from us, he lifted himself up again, thrusting harder. Jasper continued to kiss me, swallowing the noises they were both provoking.

The position was awkward, my neck turned and straining, and he shifted back a bit, focusing on touching me and watching his hands as well as Edward's face. Jasper scooted down, his fingers finding my clit again, and quickly brought me to orgasm. Edward fucked me faster, chasing his orgasm so hard. When he came, his hands were gripping my hips tight. Jasper had leaned down again, and began to whisper in my ear about how sexy and beautiful Edward was in that moment.

Edward slowed and then stopped, resting on his elbow as his lips plucked at mine, both of us smiling.

Jasper hummed and we turned to look at him. "My turn to make you come."

There was something about taking turns with them that still felt dirty to me — it was one thing when we were all together at once, each pleasuring each other. Edward laughed, kissing a path down my body as he moved away from me and made room for Jasper. I had expected him to go to the bathroom and clean up, and I turned to see what he was doing.

"Hey, you watch us together all the time. I think Jasper had the right idea; I want to watch the two of you love each other. Or fuck. Your choice."

I wasn't really an exhibitionist, but having one of them watch wasn't really like that for me. It didn't feel as though I was on display, it was just a more passive way of participation, I reasoned. It was still hot, though.

Jasper brought my attention and gaze back to him when he wrapped his lips around my nipple, teeth plucking at the sensitive skin. He rolled, and I squealed as we moved, having not anticipated it. When I was above him, he pulled the other nipple into his mouth and sucked gently. I thought I'd go mad when he pulled it into his mouth, then let it slowly slide back out, only to repeat the action. His tongue danced over the tip and I pushed my body against his, seeking pleasure much lower.

"I can feel him dripping onto me."

I hadn't considered that, but I took a minute to think about it. On one hand, I'd never been the biggest fan of cum itself, but on the flipside, it was sexy that Jasper still wanted me even after I'd just been with Edward. It had been something I struggled with a lot when we first got together, so the reassurance was welcome. "That's hot."

"Wait until I'm inside you, right where he just was."

I whimpered again, feeling him slide up and down between my lower lips. The head of his dick pushed over my clit and I bucked against him harder. He was slick, slick with Edward, and slick with me, and I moaned as the pressure against my clit increased when he pushed his hips up.

"Jesus," he breathed. "Are you going to come just like this?"

"If you keep doing that, I am…"

We moved together, his thick length rubbing just the right way against my clit. When I felt the first tingle of my orgasm, Jasper thrust into me, causing me to gasp and make a loud, sharp noise. His hips flexed and pulled back with startling frequency, driving into me and prolonging my orgasm as long as he could. There was no way for me to be quiet, the force of his movement and my overwhelming pleasure bursting from me in short cries. The way his hips slammed into mine hurt, but in the best way possible. My fingers gripped his chest, seeking something to ground me, and I could tell I'd scratched him a bit in the process.

Several moments later, when I felt like I could think again, I realized he'd stopped moving so violently. His hips lifted and retreated slowly, and when I looked at his face, he was entirely blissed out. My eyes shifted down and I realized I had indeed drawn blood on his chest, which I immediately felt bad for. My mouth moved to kiss each angry mark, and I whispered apologies over and over. Jasper's hands were in my hair, not guiding or holding, just touching.

"It's okay," he whispered. "More than okay."

"I hurt you." My eyes welled with tears as I looked at him.

"You can hurt me like that any day of the week, baby," he said, laughing a little.

The movement reminded me that he was really okay — he was a strong, sturdy man. If he said it was okay, I had to trust that. I moved to his side, opposite Edward, and we were all quiet for several minutes, my fingers meeting Edward's in the middle of Jasper's chest. We toyed with the hair there, tracing muscles and lines.

"Shower?" I asked, suddenly realizing how sticky I was.

They both agreed, and I got up and went into the bathroom, turning knobs and waiting for the water to warm up. We cleaned each other, a sort of quiet calm settling through us. Everyone had been so stressed and we'd only been home a single day. I worried what that would mean about the future, but tried to remain optimistic.

The practice opened the following week, and we celebrated several weeks later with an open house. Charlie and Sue were there, as were Alice, Rose, Emmett, and their children. Jasper was there too, of course, and it was amusing to watch people walk around the open house and try to figure out exactly what was going on with Dr. Edward and his wife and this other guy. We'd agreed not to hide, but also not to invite questioning.

I couldn't help the tug at my heart when I watched kids come in and talk to Edward or Jasper. We'd been at it for six weeks, and I was so sure that I'd get instantly pregnant the moment we stopped using contraception and had sex as much as possible. I knew I was exhausted, but it still made me laugh when I'd give one (or both) of them the eyebrow waggle. They had a never-ending supply of … energy. Surely, with two men and one woman, I figured this whole getting pregnant thing would be a breeze.

I'd bought a test and taken it as soon as possible. It happened to be a workday, and I escaped to the staff bathroom, almost jumping out of my skin as I peed on the stick. I conjured up ideas of how to tell Edward and Jasper. Somehow, the idea that we'd succeed made me want them even more, and I imagined us slowly making love together in celebration. I imagined Esme and Carlisle's delight, having been kept in the dark about this huge step in our lives. I even imagined Charlie holding my baby boy, as proud of me as ever.

When I looked down at the stick, tears welled in my eyes, spilling over onto the white formica.

_Negative_.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi, who has infinite patience with me.**

**Please Note: There will not be a chapter next Wednesday, December 28. I need a few days to catch up on some projects and real-life things. I hope you have a very Happy Christmas, and a fantastic New Year's Eve/Day if you celebrate them. I will see you January 4. :) **

**If you need more to read until then, I posted both my Season of Our Discontent entry (which is primarily a Rose story, but there is Rose/Edward, and Rose/Riley mentioned), and my TwiKink piece, which is Bella/Alice, with a tiny little drop of Rose spanking. **

**I also wanted to mention that TTH2 will be written entirely from Bella's POV. I know some of you will fling tomatoes at me (or already have), but I have my reasons. I will promise you at least one outtake of EPOV and JPOV. **

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

_When I looked down at the stick, tears welled in my eyes, spilling over onto the white formica. _

_Negative._

I knew it was still so early, but I somehow thought I'd be the exception. I'd be that one lucky girl that gets pregnant the first month of trying. I did my best to compose myself and wiped my tears before throwing the stick away and walking back to my desk. The rest of the day felt heavy, each request people made of me further burdening my over-taxed mind.

"Hey," Esme said, startling me.

When I gasped and then laughed, she joined in. "You okay? Sorry to scare you."

"I'm fine, just a little blue."

"You want to talk about it? I can tell Edward to take over, we can go for a walk?"

I laughed. There was no way we could leave Edward in charge and she knew that. It was nice of her to offer, though.

"Naw. Maybe coffee tomorrow? Little shopping?"

"I'd love that," she said with a smile.

On our way home, Edward and I grabbed a pizza, and we had a lazy couch night. Jasper got home after we did and we ate while watching movies. During a break, Jasper made some milkshakes and I made popcorn. I hadn't intended to tell them about the test, but the anxiety I felt bubbled up and spilled over, giving me a case of verbal diarrhea.

"I took a pregnancy test today," I practically whispered once the TV was off.

"What?"

They both said it at once, and that made me almost giggle. I'd been so upset, but as the day progressed, I realized how unrealistic I'd been.

"It was negative."

"Well, it's just the first month, Bella," Edward said. "Not even really. I mean, you threw your pack of pills away mid-cycle. You have to give it time, silly woman."

His fingers reached to stroke my cheeks and wipe away the tears that fell, and Jasper pulled me into his lap.

"But look at the bright side. More unprotected sex with both of us." Edward smiled as he spoke, then leaned to kiss me.

"I know," I mumbled against his lips. "I know."

When we crawled into bed together, I found that I couldn't be as sad as I'd felt before. I was lucky. I had love. I had a house. I had a good job. I was happy, I just wanted to be happier.

The next day, I met Esme for brunch. Between bites of bacon and toast, we talked about life. As we browsed the stores, we talked about kids. We talked about marriage, the great parts and the shitty parts.

I loved that we were close enough to spend the entire day together and I never felt like she was intruding in my life, or that I was a bother or burden to her. We were genuinely friends.

Alice and I had texted back-and-forth a few times while I was out with Esme, making plans to have lunch the following week. Because our offices were near the hospital, we could easily meet at the cafeteria.

"You talking to the boys?" Esme asked, teasing me.

"No, no. Alice and I made plans for lunch."

"Oh good. I'm so glad you have them to talk to," she said.

We picked a coffee shop to sit in and shared a brownie.

"What's new, kid?" she asked, smiling at me. I could tell she knew something was wrong, but I wasn't ready to talk about it with her, or really with anyone outside of the three of us. It would have felt wrong to tell her, anyway; it was Edward's news to share, right?

"Nothing. So boring. You guys coming to Jasper's game next weekend?"

"Miss a chance to gawk? Of course we'll be there."

They didn't always go to the home games, but they usually made a few each season. I know Jasper loved it when they were there.

"Maybe Carlisle will finally find the right guy," I teased, popping a bite of brownie into my mouth.

Esme almost choked on her caramel macchiato, but joined my laughter. "I'm pretty sure you're a better woman than I am, Bella. I don't think I could handle two of them."

My lips pursed together. "Oh, I'm sure you could… " I giggled.

"You tart! You know what I mean. Two pairs of boxers on the floor. Every single toilet seat left up…"

I nodded and smiled. She was right, there were definitely downsides. But the upsides won me over every time, and I smiled as I thought about those.

When she dropped me off at the house, I walked in and found the boys wrapped up together on the couch. I smiled when they turned to look at me as I came inside, both of them smiling back at me.

"Hey," I said, kicking my shoes off and practically bouncing to them. "Whatcha watching?"

I burrowed between them under the blanket, and we lost ourselves in mindless TV, and then each other.

Alice and I had lunch that week, and she told me how hard it had been for them, trying to hide the truth of their relationship, but people found out anyway. It made me realize that I didn't want a life of hiding who I was and who I loved.

Still, the boys and I had a lot of fun over the next few weeks, playing together, making love, and bantering about life. Edward and I talked a lot about pregnancy and timing. He told me some things about conception I never realized, and I was amazed anyone ever got pregnant, after that. We went to Jasper's game with Carlisle and Esme, holding hands, and huddling together in the stands. When Jasper's team won, we said goodbye to our parents and made our way inside the stadium.

"Hey Edward," Coach said to him, nodding, then turned to me. "Bella."

"Hi Coach. How are you?" I asked.

"Really fucking glad we won," he said, laughing. "Have a good night."

"You too."

Jasper came out of the locker room and gave us both a hug and a kiss, lacing his hand through my free hand, and the three of us made our way to the parking lot. The closer we got to our cars, the farther away from the moment of privacy, the looser Jasper's hand was in mine. As we crossed the threshold of the stadium, he let go completely. I knew he had to walk over to his car, but it wasn't the only reason he disconnected, and when we went our separate ways, there was no hug or kiss for Edward or me.

Sometimes I felt resentful of their careers, of their mutual fear that bad things would happen if people found out. I knew that eventually people would start putting two and two together. The cafe owner would see the two of them together at some point. We weren't always careful in public and they would kiss, or we would all three kiss, and surely that would come back to bite us in the ass. I felt like we were on the cusp of so many things, good and bad.

When I knew it was time for my period, I bought another pregnancy test. My period arrived the next day, and the anger bubbled and grew.

The third month, I decided to forego the test. I didn't need a sad face mocking me.

Thanksgiving was rolling up on us quickly, and as we began to make the preparations, Jasper was around a bit more since his scheduled had lightened up. It was so fun to have him around, and he even came into the office and helped there most days. I tried not to let either of them know how disappointed I was that I hadn't gotten pregnant.

"Hey baby," Jasper said, sliding up behind me in the supply room. His lips skimmed up and down the side of my neck as his hands rubbed my hips.

"Hi. You done with practice?"

"Mhm. Wanna practice something else with me?"

I laughed, turning in his arms. "We can't here. I have to go back to the front desk."

"Not even five minutes? I can be fast."

Rolling my eyes, I slapped his shoulder then ducked under his arm, wandering back to the front. "I need more than that from you," I said.

"Good thing it's Thanksgiving weekend. You get four long days with me. Is that enough?"

He was walking right behind me, talking loud enough for me to hear him, but not so loud that anyone else in the offices would hear.

"Maybe," I teased.

I suddenly realized just how much I was looking forward to the long weekend ahead of us. I'd forgotten just how exhausting working could be, and since we'd been planning for Thanksgiving, I barely had a moment to think about anything else.

When we hosted everyone, it was an eclectic mix of ages and family setups, but it was exactly what I wanted it to be. I made a full four course meal, and Esme, Jasper, and Sue helped me in the kitchen when they could. Before dinner, I was thankful when Edward suggested pouring the champagne in the kitchen — he had an opportunity to stealthily fill my glass with sparkling apple juice. Edward passed the flutes from the tray to everyone there, and if anyone noticed, they didn't say anything. I felt so smug, my secret shared only with my loves.

Edward lifted his glass to everyone at the table. "This Thanksgiving, Mom passed the reins down to Bella, Jasper, and me, and I couldn't he happier or more thankful. We appreciate all of you coming out here to spend this holiday with us. This meal looks amazing, so thank you to Bella, Jasper, Mom, and Sue for that. Now let's dig in."

We ate nosily, each of us chattering away with the people around us, and I smiled when I sat back and surveyed everyone. There was Christmas music playing softly in the background, and I couldn't help but wonder what the table would look like in five or ten years.

After pie, there was wine in the living room, and I made myself a cup of tea. I didn't feel out of place, as Esme and Leah also had tea. I wanted to get to know Leah better, her personality drawing me in and making me curious, but she seemed reluctant and perhaps shy.

"Sue, do you think you guys might want to do a little Christmas shopping together?" I asked, looking between Sue and Leah.

"I think that sounds perfect," she said, patting Charlie's knee. "I have no idea what to get this old man."

"You too?" I asked Leah directly.

"Sure," she said, smiling at me.

After more conversation, I was exhausted and ready to collapse. I needed that weekend of sleeping in to recoup. Everyone began to put their coats on, gathering plates of leftovers I'd forced on them and bundling up.

"You're glowing," Charlie said, voice rough with emotion, when he hugged me goodbye. "Anything you want to tell me?"

I just rolled my eyes and shook my head no.

"You look beautiful tonight, Bella," Sue said. "Thank you for having us."

"My pleasure."

Leah and Seth were at dinner, so I assumed they knew about our relationship. If they didn't before that night, they had a lot of information and gossip to take home with them. We didn't hold back within the confines of our house, and though Charlie was around and the boys were respectful, there were still glances, touches, kisses, and of course, the dinner toast.

"Unzip me?" I asked Edward, watching as he undid his pants.

He gently nudged me to turn around so he could easily reach. His fingertips were cold against my skin as he slid the zipper lower. His wet lips kissed my skin, waking up every part of me. The light fabric of my flowy dress gaped against my skin, allowing the cold air in, and I shivered. Edward stepped closer, his hands sliding along my body to cup my breasts. His mouth pulled away, his tongue leaving a cold, wet trail up the center of my spine.

I shook my arms, pulling away from him just enough to let the dress drop to the floor leaving me in just my underthings. Jasper rounded the corner of the bedroom at the perfect moment, and I laughed, embarrassed. No matter how much they loved me, I still mostly saw my flaws, and almost never felt powerful or sexy.

"You're gorgeous, but when you blush like that, just a little bit innocent…" he said, taking a step toward me. "The right amount of shy, embarrassed, vixen."

As he moved closer, he undid the buttons on his shirt, letting it fall to the floor. His pants went next and by the time he reached me, he was naked. It took me a moment to realize Edward was naked, too. We moved to the bed where they began to remove the last of my clothes. It was so nice to envelop myself with them, Jasper on one side, Edward on the other.

Edward's fingers slid between my cheeks and I pressed forward against Jasper, giving them both room to work themselves into me. I needed them both at the same time, needed to feel the sensation of fullness in my heart and body that had been missing over the last few months. I loved that we never made anyone feel left out in our lovemaking, but there was something slightly transcendent when we were all connected at the same time. I'd become such an unbearable bitch in my quest to get pregnant, I realized, practically demanding that they not have any time together — with or without me.

"I want to watch you with Jasper," I leaned back and whispered to Edward. His fingers were playing and twisting inside my body already, but I wanted something different.

His teeth scraped gently against my neck as he hummed a soft moan into my skin. Before he could over-think it, he moved and got up, standing behind Jasper. We would all be connected, and I spread my thighs wide, bringing Jasper against my body as I laughed.

"What's so funny?" he whispered, leaning down against my body, effectively presenting himself for Edward.

"I'm just so happy. Impossibly happy."

"You know," he said, biting the skin at my collarbone, "impossibly happy is … impossible. I hate to burst your bubble."

"Don't steal my thunder. Just get in here."

I reached between our bodies and pulled his cock between us, rubbing myself against it. Something about the position we were in was delicious, and when Edward began to thrust into him, the sensation against my clit made my hips buck, seeking more. Jasper's lips and tongue teased my nipples, making me feel delirious.

"Please," I whispered, turning my head to look in his eyes.

"Ready?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He lifted back up to a mostly standing position and I expected him to thrust in fast and hard; to my surprise, he pushed in so slowly, it made me want to scream. I could feel him entering me, then pull back out carefully and repeat the movement. Each time, it was a maddeningly slow tease, but I realized everything was sort of mounting as he did it. He began to alternate slow, deep penetration with shallow, faster thrusts, and I could feel my orgasm building. I moved my hand down to my clit and began to rub slow circles. I didn't want it to be over, but I knew I couldn't hold on much longer.

My eyes closed and I focused on listening to them. I'd wanted and needed them to reconnect, and hearing them together was perfect. If my breathing was quiet enough, I could hear Edward's ragged breathing. The way Jasper was pushing into me, I could tell Edward was pounding into him. As Edward's noises got louder, I felt myself reaching my orgasm, too. He was whispering to Jasper, wet lips smacking against the other man's skin.

I came loud and hard, my heels digging into the bed as I searched for something to keep me grounded. Jasper's hands squeezed my hips, and began quick, deep thrusts. He wasn't even pulling back much, just thrusting hard and deep, hitting my g-spot, and carrying my orgasm longer and longer.

Several minutes later, we were still in the exact same position. I could finally breathe and think again, and opened my eyes to look at them. Edward's head was resting on Jasper's shoulder, both of them smiling at me.

"Never gets old," Edward said, winking.

The way he was looking at me and Jasper made me sort of wanted to do it all over again, but my realistic side quickly banished that thought. Even my studly boys needed some recovery time.

"Come on, I need to clean up," I said.

Of course we touched and loved each other in the shower as much as we'd just done on the bed, and I laughed when the water ran cold. I'd never be able to figure out what it was about the three of us and the shower, but it felt safe and warm and comfortable there.

"What do you two want for Christmas?" I asked, washing Edward's chest with the shower poofy.

Neither of them could come up with anything, which just made me laugh. They were so spoiled, and truth be told, so was I.

Several weeks later, I was in the shower again, alone with Edward this time, trying to figure out what we'd get for Jasper.

"Come on, you have zero ideas?" I said in my best playful-pouty voice.

"Maybe we could do a photo shoot? I haven't dusted my camera off in a few years…"

"We're so short on time, though."

Suddenly, I had what I thought was an epic idea.

"Wait! What if we do a raincheck for a photo shoot of the three of us. I mean, we have some pictures from Esme and Sue, but nothing that really encompasses _us_, you know?"

Edward smiled at me, kissing my lips. "I love that idea."

The next day, I went shopping for Esme and Carlisle, and Charlie and Sue, and of course Alice, Rose, and Emmett. I hadn't really stayed in touch with Victoria, which made me sad when I thought about it, but our lives were in such vastly different stages. She was still going out to bars on the weekends, and I just wanted to sleep and catch up with the boys. We kept in touch via email, though, so at least there was that. She kept me up to date on the newest guy (or girl) she was dating, and I filled her in on the boring everyday things.

I decided to make a little coupon booklet for Edward and Jasper; they had everything they needed, so I decided to give them fun things they could use. A coupon for a massage, or breakfast in bed, and yeah, I even included a blowjob coupon.

The best gift came a few days later, though. It was Christmas Eve eve, and I realized I hadn't gotten my period. I ran to the drug store for what I'd said were stocking stuffers, and came back with three more pregnancy tests. I'd blown through the supply I bought once we decided to start trying, and I wanted to have a variety of brands, for reliability purposes. While I was there, I did grab a few pieces of their favorite candy and some random other things to put in their stockings.

I got home and did a lot of talking to myself. I wouldn't be sad if it was negative. I wouldn't let this ruin my Christmas. I kept going and going, as I unwrapped the boxes, and then took a stick out and peed. I turned it over and set my phone timer, knowing that if I didn't, I'd stare at the stick and have no idea how long had passed.

When the chirp told me my five minutes were up, I turned it over and nearly yelped out loud. For the first time, I was looking at a smiling face on my pee stick.

I immediately took another test, diligently setting my timer and trying not to get my hopes up.

When it was positive as well, I fist pumped and jumped around the bathroom for a minute. I put the lid down and sat on the toilet and started to cry. Then I had what I decided was the best idea ever. Pushing the tests back into my purse after I'd wrapped them in the packaging so I didn't get pee everywhere, I rushed back out the door.

"Forgot something!" I shouted, rushing past the boys. "Be right back…"

The entire drive to the drugstore, I worked in my mind how to reveal the news to everyone. I knew our parents were all coming over for Christmas dinner, but I didn't know if I could wait almost two days. Once I bought what I needed, having decided that I could and would wait, I went home and almost got distracted by Edward and Jasper. They were again curled up on the couch, but the way their hands were positioned, I could tell they'd been touching each other. It wasn't like they were hiding it from me, more like they'd begun a very slow buildup to what I knew what would be explosive results.

Instead, though, I made an excuse and said I had to use the restroom. I snuck into our bedroom, wrapped each of the rectangular boxes in wrapping paper, and smiled to myself as I carried them out and stuck them under the Christmas tree.

"What's that?" Jasper asked, sliding to the floor.

His hand shot out to pick the box up, but I smacked it away. "No cheating," I said. "Wait until Christmas."

I turned to look at his face. "Aw, no giving me that look. I'll give you an early gift, how about that?"

Edward shifted down to the floor next to Jasper. I pulled Jasper's pants down first, then Edward's, using my hands and mouth to tease them. I loved them both thoroughly, watching them kiss and touch each other. I sort of wanted to have them both come at the same moment, but then I realized that was just silly, and probably impossible. I focused on Jasper, his face and his eyes as he looked down, watching me. I loved that he was unabashedly looking down, watching his cock disappear into my mouth. When he came, my hand squeezed around Edward's cock, and I quickly swallowed.

I switched sides, and Jasper's hands pulled my hair up, giving Edward a better view. Normally, Edward laid his head back and closed his eyes, but Jasper had whispered to him to watch, then joined me, licking and sucking every part he could reach. In almost no time, Edward was coming, and Jasper and I playfully shared what he gave us.

I almost couldn't sleep that night, an entire bundle of nervous energy, bouncing off the walls just aching to tell anyone my secret. But I knew it would be worth the wait.

Finally, when it was Christmas morning, I could barely drag myself out of bed.

"Come on, sleepyhead," Edward said before his mouth wrapped around my exposed nipple. It slipped from his mouth and he nipped at it with his teeth. "Time to get up."

"Ohh," I moaned. "That feels good. Don't wanna get up. Want to come."

Edward's fingers laced together with mine as he settled himself between my legs. He teased, kissing all around my thighs and abdomen before one long, slow lick up the center of my pussy. My fingers pulled on his, gripping tighter and begging for more. He hummed against me, the vibrations giving me goosebumps, and I tried to press my hips against his mouth harder.

Without the addition of his fingers, things moved more slowly, but I wasn't complaining… and clearly, neither was Edward. He was licking me at a languorous pace, then sliding his tongue between my lips to tease my opening. He licked and sucked, pulling my lips into his mouth. I kept trying to redirect him to my clit, but he was teasing me more and more.

His fingers gripped mine tighter as he pushed harder against my wet skin, his tongue sliding deeper inside of me, then pulling back out and going straight to my clit. He sucked it into his mouth, did crazy things I was sure I'd never felt before, and I thought I might pass out the way I was breathing so heavily. When I finally came, I knew the grip on his fingers became painful, but couldn't hold back my response. My back was arched, hips pressing my pussy into him as hard as they could, and I let out a long, low moan.

My fingers released his and I tugged his hair quickly, wanting him to come back up for more kisses and touches, which he did, eagerly.

It was the perfect way to wake up, aside from the fact that I knew I'd be horny all damn day.

When we finally got out of bed, put on some clothes, cleaned up a bit, and met Jasper in the kitchen, I realized he hadn't joined us because Esme and Carlisle had already arrived.

"What time is it?" I asked, still feeling like I was floating.

"Eleven thirty-three," Edward half-whispered half-giggled against my ear.

"I sent Edward in on a search-and-rescue mission half an hour ago," Jasper said, giving us a look that said we were in for it later.

I tried to look remorseful, but yeah, there was no way I felt even a tiny bit bad about it. Well, maybe only that Jasper hadn't been there too. "Sorry. I'll just grab a cup of coffee and a quick shower, then we can start prepping dinner and go open gifts?"

My heart thundered in my chest that everyone was going to know I was pregnant by the end of the day. Then I had the realization that babies would probably mean no more lazy sex-filled mornings. Oh well, we'd have to get creative, but I had no doubts we could do that. We'd done it plenty in the past.

After my shower, Esme and I started the turkey and chopped some things for other dishes, then made our way into the living room. Charlie and Sue showed up and we turned off the TV, opening up the gifts. I'd snuck the two boxes for Edward and Jasper out of the pile and set them behind me, wanting them to be opened last.

When every other gifts had been opened, Jasper looked at me. "What happened to the boxes you snuck out the other night?"

My smile grew as I handed them the boxes, then tucked my knees up under my chin.

They tore into them, paper flying and landing in the already giant pile of trash. I closed my eyes briefly, praying they would both still be happy about what they were about to find out. When I opened my eyes, they were both standing there, staring at the tests.

"Really?" Jasper asked first. He sounded genuinely excited, and I wanted to tackle him.

"Really," I whispered.

I looked over at Edward just as tears spilled onto his cheeks, quickly wiped away by the back of his hand.

"Are you guys excited?" I asked.

"What's going on?" Esme interrupted, not seeing what they were excited about. From her vantage point, it just looked like two jewelry boxes.

"We're pregnant," Edward said, elation obvious in his voice.

The room erupted into cheers and celebration as Edward, Jasper, and I hugged tightly.

"I can't wait," Edward said.

"Me either."

"Holy shit," Jasper whispered. "We're going to be parents."

I felt a little dizzy at his words, but I was locked in my bubble with them. I was certain our parents had said more to us, asked questions probably, but in that moment, all I cared about were the two men surrounding me and the small beginning of life inside my body.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hope you all had a lovely holiday, no matter which you celebrate.**

**Thank you to bliltxgirl for the photo suggestion!**

**Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi, who is more than I deserve. You were especially epic this chapter, and you know why. I appreciate your kindness, and your firmness. ;) I love you.**

****All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.****

{.}

"_Holy shit," Jasper whispered. "We're going to be parents."_

_I felt a little dizzy at his words, but I was locked in my bubble with them. I was certain our parents had said more to us, asked questions probably, but in that moment, all I cared about were the two men surrounding me and the small beginning of life inside my body._

For the first few days after I got a smiley face, life was … normal. I didn't feel pregnant, I didn't look pregnant. Life marched on to the regular beat, except there was now a tangible string between the three of us. It was weird, because we had been committed to each other before, but this was something entirely new and cemented us in a different way. It felt more permanent, and in my head, it was a child from all three of us. I didn't stop to wonder whose baby it might be, or what it would look like. I just loved - the baby, the boys, and I even felt a seed of appreciation for my own body and what it could do.

I knew that Alice had connected Edward and Doctor Denali before we even opened our practice — they'd all had lunch a few times. Doctor D also sends patients our way, post-delivery, so it seemed like a great working relationship. She was the perfect fit for us, since Alice had seen her as well and she was familiar with relationships like ours.

We arranged it so that both of the boys could go with me to my first OB appointment. When the intake nurse called my name, she seemed surprised by the two men trailing behind me, but I just gave her a look that practically dared her to challenge me. I'd perfected it working with Edward and Carlisle. It was slightly awkward, but since I knew Doctor D already was aware of our situation, and so was her primary nurse, I tried to shrug it off.

Everything went as I expected for a first appointment — we got all of the information on genetic counseling and potential complications. We talked about ultrasounds and finding out the gender, and a million other things that seemed to fly out of my head as soon as she said them. I squeezed Edward's hand. I would be relying heavily on him to help me figure out everything I needed to know. I'd tried to Google and come up with some helpful information, but all that did was scare me.

It was too early in the pregnancy to hear the heartbeat, but I knew we'd get to do that next visit, which we scheduled on our way out. As we drove back home, I thought about how the doctor had been with us — she looked at both guys while explaining things, and she never once made me feel like I had no choices.

"Did you like Doctor D?" I asked Jasper on the way to the car.

"Yeah, she's great. She seems like she knows what she's doing, and she must be great if she sends patients to Edward."

I nodded and smiled. So far, I loved Tanya and her bedside manner. I was already nervous about labor, but I tried to focus on the moment instead of worrying about the future. We spent the rest of the day at work — Jasper did some filing and I handled my normal stuff. When we left, we went out to dinner and celebrated. It felt like we'd never stopped celebrating once we found out, in fact.

A few weeks later, the morning sickness began, and more than once, I raged about how it should definitely _not_ be called morning sickness when it happened all day. It was torture, and I learned to keep a stack of Saltines and icy cold ginger ale at my desk, although it only helped a little.

Thankfully, as I approached the end of my second trimester, the nausea abated. When we had an ultrasound and found out we were having a girl, I baked pink cupcakes and frosted them with chocolate fudge icing, so no one could tell. We invited everyone to the house for dinner, and then I served the cupcakes to tell them.

Esme cried, and even Carlisle seemed to dab at his eyes. Alice, Rose, and Emmett were thrilled, too. Everyone offered a name for consideration, and there was a lot of talk of future weddings and expenses, and I was completely overwhelmed by the end of the night when they'd all gone.

"Well, little baby," I said, rubbing my belly as I rocked in the glider. "What do you think your name should be? I have no idea."

I'd grown to enjoy small conversations with the alien growing in my belly.

"We should get to bed, I think." It took a few tries, but I got myself up and out of the chair. I sank into bed with my loves, a smile on my face.

Of course, right around that time, I found myself with another dilemma: I pretty much wanted to get off as often as possible. It wasn't necessarily about connecting with them, I just wanted as much as they would give.

"Why is it so fucking hot?" I complained, wandering the kitchen as I looked for another snack.

Pickles and chocolate sounded good.

"Baby, it's not that hot," Jasper said. "The A/C is set to 69."

I giggled and then turned to look at him, my eyebrow raised. "Is it?"

His eyes went wide for half a second and he seemed to be warring with himself. Sure, we'd all had sex the night before, but damn it, now I wanted him again. And again. And where was Edward, I wondered.

I used my knowledge of Jasper to my advantage, quickly fumbling with the hem of my tank top and throwing it off to the side.

"It is," he said, eyeing my bare chest.

His brain seemed to engage and his hands moved to his shirt, arms criss-crossed as he lifted it over his head.

"Where's Edward?" I asked, watching his shirt fall to the ground.

"Fuck if I know. Fuck if I'm going to find out right now."

"What _are_ you going to do right now?"

Yeah. I knew what he was going to do. I bit back a smile.

"Make you scream. Maybe Edward will hear and find us."

Yes. Yes please.

I was suddenly thankful that I wasn't too huge yet, mentally running through the positions we might employ.

He closed the distance between us, then pressed against me, pushing me back until I was flush with the countertop. Jasper's fingers slid between the waistband of my stretchy yoga pants and my body, slowly pulling them down. The anticipation built, and by the time he kissed his way up the inside of my leg, I felt like jelly. The kiss he left at the top of my pussy made me moan quietly, ready and eager for more.

Jasper lifted me and set me on the countertop, which made me shiver. I tried to open my legs, but Jasper had a different idea. He lifted my right foot and placed it almost at the edge of the counter, then did the same with my left; it made me feel exposed and vulnerable, but sexy.

"Lean back," he said quietly.

My palms were flat against the cold stone and my heart raced. Jasper's fingers skimmed the surface of my body, reaching and touching me perfectly. By the time he made it to where I wanted him, finally focusing his attention, I was shaking, panting, and almost begging. His tongue touched my clit, then he sucked it between his lips. I reached for the edge of the counter behind me, needing something to hold onto. I came in mere moments, my pussy pulsing and my hips pushing against his eager mouth.

I watched his hand reach forward, two of his fingers pushing into me. Jasper's fingers slid deep inside, making me feel so full and good. When I felt the pleasurable burn of my body stretching, I figured he'd added another finger. He was surprisingly not gentle with me, which I appreciated. I wanted to come hard, and the way he was angled and thrusting, I knew it was going to happen again, soon. The way he fucked me with his fingers made my arms go wiggly, and I laid down all the way on the cold counter.

When I came, I was a babbling, incoherent mess. Without wasting time, he kept going, his mouth back on my clit as his fingers worked me to a third orgasm. I loved the fact that I could push my body even more, orgasms stronger and more intense since I'd gotten pregnant. That time, I did scream as he pressed his fingers up against my g-spot as my orgasm began. He didn't stop moving them, sliding them carefully around and it was almost too much. I never wanted it to end, but couldn't take another second.

Edward did come into the room, and I was still in an endless loop of "Oh God," when he looked at me.

"Jesus," he said, pushing my bangs off my forehead. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm," I hummed. "Please. More."

A half-laugh later, he helped me sit up. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer with my legs.

"Need you," I mumbled, nipping at the scruff on his neck.

"Let's get you into bed."

"Fuck yes."

Edward and Jasper exchanged a look and I got a little pouty.

"Hey. I've never heard of men complaining about too much sex before."

"Neither of us would dare complain, sweets," Edward said. "We're just … amused."

"Well, come on," I said. "Be amused while you fuck me."

{.}

My body felt entirely foreign to me, bulging out in places I'd never had curves before. My breasts were downright fucking huge, and sore most of the time. Sometimes I could barely breathe, feeling like the baby was going to kick a lung out or that she was tap dancing on my bladder. It seemed like every time I was beginning to get a little too down on myself, one of them was there to remind me – with words or actions – just how sexy I still was.

Their appreciation for my blossoming belly was something I cherished. Even when my bump got in the way and grew large enough that we had to think of alternate ways of pleasuring each other, we made it work.

Late in my pregnancy, I convinced Edward to let me and Jasper tie him up again, and I helped tease him for what seemed like hours. When I was tired, I took the chair in the corner, sitting and watching as Jasper continued teasing and torturing him. When Edward was untied, I slid my underwear off beneath my flouncy nightgown and touched myself as I watched Jasper touching him.

When Jasper finally penetrated him, I came. Edward looked over at me, watching my face as my orgasm overtook me, and I liked knowing he was watching me, just like I was watching him getting fucked. There was something about it that was almost as hot as when I was in bed with them.

After a long, hot shower together, we curled into bed, none of us bothering with clothes. The baby was kicking and it was such a late stage, you could see when my stomach would jut out with her elbow, knee, or foot. It was kind of creepy, but cool.

"I love it when she moves," Jasper said, his hand trailing hers from the outside of my belly. "I can't wait to meet you, sweet baby girl," he said, his lips gently touching my stretch marks.

"She doesn't even have a name yet," I said, sighing and readjusting in a futile attempt to get comfortable.

"What are our top ten again?" Edward asked.

"Renee, Esme, Emily, Jenna, Astrid, Sophie, Lucy, Sadie, Maddie, and Paige," I rattled off.

"How about Apple?" Jasper said, joking.

At least, I hoped he was joking.

"No fruit!" Edward said, emphatic.

"Oh great… Banana was my second suggestion," Jasper deadpanned.

We laughed, the semi tension of the moment broken. After a collective deep breath, we began to discuss the pros and cons of each name. Just like we'd done at least a hundred times before. We came to zero conclusions, shockingly.

We'd arranged to use the photography gift Jasper got for Christmas while I was pregnant, and the day we had an appointment booked was comical. Finding time all three of us could fit a few hours together wasn't easy, but then once we got there, I had to pee frequently. Normally not a huge issue, but considering I was in jeans and had to waddle there and back each time, it was frustrating.

When we saw the digital versions, though, I was blown away. The photographer had worked magic and captured the three of us getting ready for each pose, as well as posing, and there were perfect non-perfect pictures of us. The way the boys looked at me, seeing it in tangible form like a picture, it made me feel so loved. In each photo, you could really feel the connection between all three of us, and certainly their adoration and love for me and my giant belly. It had been the perfect way to spend the afternoon.

I was convinced that my little bean was so comfortable inside she'd never come out. I went four days past my due date. It was almost _my_ birthday!

The day I finally went into labor, Jasper was off at a game. Edward was right by my side, having practically turned into my shadow over the last few weeks.

"Um, Edward," I said as I half-bent over. "Do you have your watch?"

"Of course. It's one thirty-three," he said, clearly not getting it.

"Ugh, Edward. Time."

"I just told you, Bella…" he said, eyebrows narrowing from behind his magazine.

"No, _Edward_, time this contraction. Damn."

I sat down, breathing deeply like I'd learned, and panic washed over me. There was really no turning back once this baby was out. Our entire lives would be changed. My body was already … so different, to put it nicely. Nothing would be the same ever again; nothing.

With my head in my hands, I started to cry. I was afraid. I was frustrated. I was in pain.

Little did I know right then that I had barely scratched the surface of what pain meant.

Edward finally began to time my contractions, helping and comforting me until they were close enough that we called our doctor and went to the hospital. He'd texted Jasper, but since he was in the middle of a game, the message didn't get through right away. During the drive, he reassured me he'd get ahold of Jasper — that Jasper would be there with us — but it became almost all I could think about it. I was so worried he would miss it, and I knew he'd regret that. He'd been such an important part of the pregnancy; they both had.

Repeatedly, I worked myself into a frenzy, crying and worrying, and then a contraction would hit. It was a vicious cycle. I felt better once I was admitted and checked, since I knew I wasn't ready to push yet, but it nagged at me. What if he missed it? It wouldn't feel right without the three of us.

My doctor came in, and during a lull in contractions, Edward slipped out of the room to call the assistant coach of Jasper's team.

"I got him. He's on his way," Edward said when he came back into the room.

He looked nervous, harried, but happy. Excited.

That made me happy and excited, and relieved. Edward sat next to me again, rubbing my back and offering to get me ice chips.

"Can you turn on the playlist?"

"Of course," he said, giving me a kiss and making his way over to the bag we'd packed. He got out the speakers and his iPod, and put on the music he'd recorded.

"Have you decided about the epidural, Bella?" Doctor Denali asked, scanning the strips of paper coming from the monitoring machine.

We'd worked out a whole birth plan, but like most plans, that all fell to shit the moment contractions began. I wasn't opposed to an epidural, I just wanted to try and go as long as I could without it, since I knew that it would probably slow my labor down.

Jasper finally showed up and I was glad to have them both with me. They sat together, huddled at my side, excitement practically dripping from them.

After several hours without relief from the pain, I was exhausted. Edward was wiping my forehead down with a washcloth, but I just wanted to do anything to escape the pain. I needed to distract myself.

"Read to me?" I asked Edward. "I don't care what."

"Okay," he said, scrambling to find something to read.

Finally, he picked up his phone and began reading poetry. It was beautiful and soft. I closed my eyes and tried as hard as I could to breathe through the contractions, but that only worked some of the time. Finally, when Doctor Denali declared I was at seven centimeters and asked about the epidural again, I told her to go ahead.

When the pain began to abate, I was almost giddy. I was able to focus again, and remember what we were there for — bringing myself back into the moment. It still took awhile, but when I began to push, Edward moved lower to watch. Jasper declined and stayed up by my head, wiping my forehead and holding my hand.

"Do you want to watch with the mirror, Bella?" Doctor Denali asked, getting ready.

"Um. No."

I wasn't exactly grossed out by it, but I was living it — I could do without watching, too.

"Good job pushing, Bella. She's almost here. Are you ready to meet her?"

"No," I said, laughing.

Everything was awkward, and despite all of the labels of natural, nothing at all about what was happening felt natural. I worried that I'd suddenly be unable to finish; I was _so_ tired and I just wanted my body to stop whatever it was doing. My epidural seemed to be wearing off as my pain increased; the burning grew to a peak, then mostly stopped, thankfully.

"Put your hand down, you can touch her head."

I reached between my legs and felt her warm, squishy head. My energy surged and I knew I could really do it.

"Oh God, she's going to be here soon," I said to Jasper, squeezing his hand. "What if we're terrible parents?" I started crying again.

He laughed, but leaned to kiss my cheek. "She has three people to love her more than anything else in the world. And everyone else will love her, too. We won't be terrible parents, baby, but you have to push her out first. I can't wait to meet her. Do you think she'll have bright red hair like Edward did when he was born?"

"I don't know," I said, sniffling.

"One more push, Bella. Make it a good one."

"Fuck," I said into Jasper's shoulder.

"Take a deep breath, sweetheart. One last push and she's here," Edward said, rubbing my thigh. He was so happy and optimistic — he was confident in me, I realized. Everyone in the room was, except me.

I did as he said, taking the deepest breath I could. I looked at Jasper, then Edward, and pushed carefully, but strongly. I wanted her out, I needed to meet her, and I needed it all to be over with. By the time I inhaled again, I could hear her start whimpering and crying. Of course, I'd already been crying, but my tears fell even faster as I felt a sudden, strong urge to quell whatever was bothering her.

I watched as Edward helped do the usual newborn things with her as Doctor Denali finished me up. Edward walked back across the room with the baby, wrapped up and perfect.

"Oh shit. She's all ours. No takebacks?"

They both laughed, but I knew they knew exactly what I meant.

"Hi little one," I said as I soaked her in. "I'm your mommy, and these two you already know, 'cause they took such good care of us. These are your daddies."

She stretched and yawned, wiggling against the blanket that held her tightly. I looked at her fingers, then unwrapped her to look at her tiny toes.

"I have no idea how to wrap her up again," I said, totally confused and deflated.

"It's easy," Edward said. "Let me show you."

He walked me through the steps with infinite patience.

"Hey," he said, tipping my chin up so that I looked at him. "No one is born knowing how to swaddle, Bella. There's a lot to learn. It's okay."

When his lips touched mine, I smiled against them.

"Look how perfect she is," I said. "Do you think she's hungry?"

"Can't hurt to try," Edward said. "Do you want to give it a go, or do you want some help?"

"I read a ton. Let me try and then if I can't get it, I'll ask for help."

They sat at the edge of my bed as I fumbled and worked through my frustrations. Eventually, she latched on and, although there wasn't any milk yet, she nursed and nuzzled against me. She opened her eyes and my heart. As real as she felt before, having grown from a bean into a baby inside of me, it wasn't until right at that moment that she felt _real_.

"You're not a Banana, are you?" I asked, teasing. "I just don't know. You don't feel like any of the other names, either, sweet baby."

"What about Emma?" Jasper asked quietly.

I looked over at him. "Emma?"

"Emma was my mama's name," he said, letting his lazy twang roll from his tongue.

"Emma," I said, trying it out. "What do you think, Edward?"

"I like Emma," he said, smiling at me, then down at her.

"Emma Jane," I said, trying it out with the middle name we'd settled on ages ago.

Her tiny mouth wiggled and moved, making me laugh as I pulled her away from my body and covered back up. "Wanna hold her?" I asked Jasper.

"Of course," he said.

I knew he'd had practice holding babies with Alice and Rosalie's, but watching him hold her was … something so different and amazing. Edward always had a natural grace and ease with babies, but Jasper had to work for it. It was beautiful and more than a little sexy.

We were so focused on each other, we hadn't realized everyone had left the room until one of the nurses came back in to help me get settled in a regular room on the labor and delivery floor.

When it came time to deal with the birth certificate, I decided to leave the father field empty. If I couldn't list them both, I didn't want to list either. Her name was recorded as Emma Jane Whitlock-Cullen, after the boys exchanged looks.

"I can't just put Swan, and it's not right to put either of your names," I said. I could feel the tension radiating from Jasper. "You know, it's not like you're the only Whitlock ever," I teased. "It'll be okay. Whatever happens, it'll be okay."

"I know," he said, leaning to kiss me. "I worry, but I know you're right. I guess this mean Edward wins in his quest to turn us all into Cullens." He laughed and smiled at Edward.

"Whitlock-dash-Cullens," Edward clarified. "I like the sound of that. We should probably not change our names right now, though. No one will really know hers unless they pull her birth certificate, which I don't foresee happening, really. But someday."

"Someday," I repeated.

Jasper then said it, too, and we gathered close, almost squishing poor Emma.

"We're not used to having someone there, Ems. Sorry," I said, running the back of my finger across her cheek.

The nurses came to check on us several times, and Jasper stayed the night. Edward had to go to the office the next day, but Jasper stayed with me, and we spent the day fawning over our baby and each other. As soon as Edward was done seeing his urgent patients, he texted to let me know he was on his way.

I could hear Carlisle and Esme before they came into the room, and I had to laugh at their contagious excitement. I was already over the moon, but somehow, it felt amplified with them there.

"We brought you lunch from your favorite deli," Esme sang, opening the door. She handed the bag to Jasper, then looked down at Emma, resting on my covered chest.

"Oh, Bella, she's beautiful," Esme gushed. "Can I hold her?"

"Of course, Grandma."

Esme put her hands out, then took the bundle of Emma from me. Just as I had, she touched her face and cooed, talking to her softly, as if they'd found their own private bubble to exist in.

"Share," Carlisle said, nudging her and opening his arms.

"Not yet," Esme huffed. "I've barely had her. You clearly need to have more beautiful babies," she said, looking over at me.

"One at a time," I laughed, opening up my lunch and stuffing my face.

They held and cared for her as Jasper and I ate together, sharing bites of the sandwich and pasta salad they'd brought. I felt so much better after I had real food — all I needed was a quick shower.

"Hey, you guys have five more minutes in you so I can grab a shower and clean up?"

"Duh," Esme said, rolling her eyes at me. "Take your time."

Moving hurt still, but I made my way into the tiny excuse for a shower. The hot water was so relaxing and once I felt clean again, I stood beneath the spray, letting it all soak in. I was a mom. I had a baby. Over the weak excuse for a shower, I heard her begin to fuss. I reached for the knob to turn the shower off and felt my breasts start to tingle, not entirely in a pleasant way. My nipples ached, and I quickly toweled off and put fresh pajamas on.

"All right, you two," I said to Carlisle and Esme. "Gimme that baby back. I think my boobs are going to explode."

I settled into the bed and took Emma from them. For half a beat, I was unsure if they were going to stay, and even more unsure of how I felt. Thankfully, they excused themselves and said they'd be at the house getting things ready for us.

By the time I unsnapped and had Emma latched on, I was ecstatic. I'd heard so many horror stories of women not being able to breastfeed. Of course, it wasn't that easy, and with a new steady flow of liquid, Emma had to learn to adjust, too.

"Isn't it amazing?" I said quietly to Jasper.

"It really is."

"Hi," Edward said, peeking his head inside the door before coming in. "Wasn't sure if you'd be napping."

He sat next to Jasper, giving him a kiss hello, then doing the same for me.

"Look," I said, excited.

"Trust me, he is," Jasper said, laughing.

"I'm just making sure you're using good technique," Edward said. His voice was awkward and tight, and I tried my hardest not to smile.

"It's okay, sweets," I said, reassuring him as he'd done for me. I grabbed his hand and squeezed.

I couldn't tell yet how I felt about my new curves, but one thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want to be ashamed or embarrassed, and neither should he.

"I arranged for Dad to see the rest of my patients for the week, and I took next week off."

"Oh, I'm so glad!"

Only after I startled poor Emma did I realize how loud I was. Adapting to a baby wasn't an overnight process, apparently. I soothed her and took that opportunity to switch sides. When she was done, I put my knees up and rested her on them.

"Think we're ready for her on our own? We get to go home tomorrow."

"I think we'll do just fine," Jasper said.

"I'll be there to help, and so will Jasper before and after practice and games. We'll do great."

I nodded, then lowered Emma to change her diaper as they helped. "Everything will be great, right Ems?"

A/N2: Would you be interested in a freshly squeezed citrusy Esme/Carlisle outtake to this story, once the main story is complete? Let me know in a review, as I'm contemplating it! Thx. 3


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi.**

**I wanted to emphasize again (since many of you have asked) that I won't be revealing who the bio dad of Emma is. I can assure you that any physical description I give is not meant to steer readers in any direction about it. I'm not trying to wink and nod at you all while slyly revealing who the dad is. :) They don't know, I don't know.**

****All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.****

* * *

><p><em>I nodded, then lowered Emma to change her diaper as they helped. "Everything will be great, right Ems?"<em>

The next day, they helped me pack up everything and I declined a shower. I wanted to get home and bask in the giant shower we had there. I knew I could take my time at home, whereas right now, in the hospital, I'd feel rushed. I was ready to go home, ready to sleep in my bed, and ready to be held by both of them. I felt insecure, but at the same time, more certain than ever. It was an odd jumble of thoughts and feelings.

Edward drove, Jasper and I buckled in on either side of Emma in the back seat. Thankfully, I'd just fed her at the hospital and changed her diaper, so she slept most of the way home. I was still sore, very sore, and shifted my position several times in the car, wishing I could speed up the trip.

"You okay?" Jasper asked, taking my hand into his, resting them on the seatback behind us.

"Just … uncomfortable. Sore."

You know, from the bowling ball that came out of my vagina?

I bit the sarcastic comment back before unleashing it. I couldn't figure out why I'd even thought it; he was trying to be nice and ask what was wrong.

Leaning back a bit, I closed my eyes and squeezed his hand, wanting just a few minutes of pain-free rest. I resolved to take something for the pain when we got home, something I'd been fairly against before. I hadn't taken anything that might have made me sleepy or passed on to Emma, but I was just in too much pain. I'd take a low dose of something to help. I was useless if I couldn't get good rest, and no one needed that.

Jasper carried Emma's carseat into the house, and Edward walked ahead of us, doting over me, asking if I needed anything.

"No, sweets, I just want to relax for a bit. You guys want to watch a movie?"

"Sure," Jasper says, taking Emma out of her carrier.

"Don't even try to argue with me," Edward said, coming from the kitchen with a pill and a glass of water.

I didn't argue. I smiled, took the pill from him and swallowed it, along with huge gulps of the water. Then I kissed him, a careful and tentative kiss. A kiss I hoped was full of _thank you_.

Jasper sat on the couch nesting Emma between his long legs, which were bent at the knees. I sat between the two boys, and had one hand on each of their legs, which meant I was also touching Emma. It made me smile, and I didn't really care what we watched. Edward pulled up Netflix and turned on _Never Been Kissed_, which they both knew was bound to make me laugh and swoon.

I managed to make it through about a third of the movie before falling asleep. I woke up curled against Edward, with Jasper's hands slowly running up and down my calves. Of course my first thought was that I hadn't shaved my legs. It didn't seem to bother him though, his fingers were stroking beneath the leg of my loose-fitting pants. I liked the way his skin felt against mine and burrowed slightly more into Edward.

"Nice nap?" Jasper asked, his eyes meeting mine.

I hummed and smiled.

"Where's Em?" I asked, suddenly remembering she existed outside of my body.

"Swing," Edward said, pointing.

I kissed his arm when it moved next to my head, then felt the throb of my boobs and knew it was almost time for dinner. My hands moved to press against the overwhelming bust.

"You want me to bring her to you?" Jasper asked.

"Thanks, babe."

We all shifted and Edward sat up behind me, helping me up. I moved to the other end of the couch so I could rest my arm as I cradled Emma once Jasper handed her to me. I got us situated and stared down at her.

"Hi there my sweet girl," I said.

My fingertips traced her soft cheek as she latched on and the world fell away. It felt like the first breath I took was when I switched sides with her, shifting my body and allowing the world back in to our space.

"I brought you some water," Jasper said quietly.

He helped me out by grabbing some throw pillows to prop my other arm up between us, where Emma was now resting. I watched as he bent and kissed the soft top of her head. Having his mouth so close to my body almost made me shiver. I wasn't ready for anything sexual with either of them, but it was a reminder of what we still had, and that made me long for the sexual part of our connection.

The thought was short-lived, though, as Emma began to fuss and wiggle.

"What's the matter, Princess?" I asked, nuzzling my nose into her chubby neck. "Need a new diaper?"

I stood up and took her into the nursery where the changing table was. We'd set up a bassinet in our bedroom for her to sleep the first few weeks, but kept her clothes and accessories in her own room. I smiled as I looked around at the photos hung along the walls.

Almost the entire time, I kept talking to her and touching her. When we came back out, both boys were sitting on the couch watching soccer. I knew Jasper was practically chomping at the bit to get back on the field. I sat beside him and rested my head on his shoulder, holding Em like he had earlier, on my knees.

"Are you going to kick a ball like your daddy?" I asked her, flexing her foot out.

"I can't wait to teach her," Jasper said, beaming.

"Do you want to take a shower?" Edward asked.

"How'd you know I was feeling completely gross? That would be perfect. Thank you," I said, handing her over to them with a kiss. "I'll just be ten minutes, fifteen tops."

"Take your time. You can relax and enjoy it. We're good."

He'd already buried his nose in Emma's belly, huffing and inhaling her scent. It was incredibly adorable.

"All right. Thanks," I said, walking to the bedroom.

Under the spray of the hot water, I smiled. It felt amazing, and I appreciated every inch of spare room in the shower, not to mention the multiple shower heads. Water was all around me, keeping me warm. I took my time soaping up and making sure I smelled nice and felt clean. I even found a razor and went to town; things had gotten a little scary.

When I got out, I wrapped up in my robe and decided against putting on clothes. It was inching closer to bedtime and I'd probably want to wear something to protect the sheets from leakage, so I wanted to take advantage of some freedom while I could. As I walked out of the bedroom, the smell of dinner jolted my stomach, causing it to growl. I was amazingly hungry. Walking into the kitchen, I saw Jasper and Edward working together at the stove, Emma swaddled and content in her bouncy chair.

"Yum, boys. What's for dinner?" I walked closer, sniffing dramatically and wrapping an arm around each of their waists.

"Grilled shrimp and algio olio," Edward said.

"My mouth is already watering."

I got out plates and silverware, then two wine glasses for them and a pint glass for me. My doctor had told me it was fine — encouraged, even — to have a small beer with dinner. Something about the hops increasing and helping support breastmilk production. Not that I seemed to have any problem with that…

Jasper brought Emma over to the table in her chair and set her on the table so we could watch her while we ate. Dinner was delicious after two days of takeout and hospital food.

"Thanks for making dinner," I mumbled around a piece of garlic bread. "This is so good."

"It's going to be a long night," Edward said. "Do you want to feed Em and go to bed? I can stay up with her, then you can take the middle shift and Jasper can wake up with her in the morning?"

I giggled. "Unless the two of you grew some new anatomy, I'll still need to get up with her."

"You're right, but we can help out as much as we can," Jasper said, squeezing my thigh.

A happy sigh escaped my lips and I took my empty plate to the sink. After the dishwasher was loaded, we sat back on the couch and I nursed Em again. When she was fed, burped, and changed, Jasper held her for a bit, promising to put her in the bassinet when she was tired.

"Thank you," I said, leaning down to kiss him. "And thank you, too." I kissed Edward, then turned and went to bed.

A few hours later, Jasper woke me up when he slid under the covers with me.

"Hey," I whispered.

"Shit, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up, sweets."

"S'ok. Come snuggle me."

His warm arms wrapped around my body and I fell back to sleep quickly. When Edward woke me up to feed Em the first time, I had no idea what time it was… just that I felt completely unprepared to deal with anyone else's needs. Somehow, I managed to sit up and nurse her while Edward sat by my side. Jasper was huddled on the other side of the bed, wrapped in a cocoon of sorts, which made me smile.

"I brought you some water," Edward whispered.

Perfect.

"Thank you so much," I said, reaching for the glass and guzzling.

"Can you believe we made that?" he asked, fingertips playing with the wisps of hair on her head.

"Nope. It's still hard to believe they let us leave the hospital with her," I said quietly. "She's just so beautiful."

"She's gorgeous like her mother."

When Emma was fed, Edward kissed my forehead and took her from me again. I turned off the bedside lamp and curled against Jasper again. Before I'd fallen asleep, Edward was on my other side, his cool body heating quickly against mine. Several more times, we repeated the same scene, with the boys bringing Em to me when she was hungry, then changing her and putting her back to sleep.

That routine seemed to work for us, and we finally fell into the swing of things. Several days later, Jasper stopped by the photographer after practice to pick up our framed pictures.

"Good practice?" I asked, taking in his sweaty appearance. "Jesus, Jas, you didn't go to the studio all sweaty and sexy like that, did you?"

I couldn't even pretend. I wanted to lick him. Something about the way he smelled sang to me. Stupid pheromones.

"I did," he said, smirking. "They didn't seem to mind."

"I'm sure they didn't. Lemme see!"

Edward came into the room with Emma in a sling, greeting Jasper in much the same way as I had — lust in his eyes. We took the pictures into the living room and set them out on the couch. My favorite went into our bedroom, and we hung one up in the nursery. The last picture we hung above the couch, for everyone that came into our house to see. It was a point of pride, and I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt. It was perfect.

I'd lost track of which day of the week it was, guided only by the sun and moon to tell me which time of day I was in. It was my own Heaven with my boys and my little girl. As the sun began to set on another day and I was giving Em a bath, the doorbell rang.

"Who is that, Little Miss?" I asked the infant. "Edward? Jasper?"

Neither replied, which was odd. Usually they were right there helping me bathe her. I took her out of her tub and wrapped her in a plush towel. I figured I could answer the door quickly and then put her diaper and jammies on. By the time I made it out to the entryway, I could smell food.

Pulling the heavy door open, I squealed when I saw Alice, Emmett, and Rose.

"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" I asked, tucking Emma against my side and hugging them. "Where's Avery and Sadie?" Suddenly, it made sense why Edward and Jasper had insisted that I shower earlier in the day and put on real clothes.

"I told you she wouldn't know," Alice said, laughing. She thrust a package into my hands and I turned to see Edward and Jasper behind me.

"Wouldn't know what?" I asked, hugging Rose and Emmett, who was carrying several containers of food.

"Oh, Heavens, Bella," Esme said, making her way through to hug me. "You forgot your own birthday?"

I started counting the days from Emma's birth on my fingers, but quickly realized I had no fucking clue how many days had passed.

"I guess I did," I confessed.

"Well, we brought your birthday to you," Carlisle said, reaching his turn in the queue to hug me. "Happy birthday, Bella."

"Thank you."

I shifted my weight and jumped up when I saw my dad and Sue walking up the drive. "Daddy!"

By the time he approached, I was bouncing on my toes. I threw my free arm around him and squeezed. I didn't realize until he was there just how much I'd missed him. They hadn't even met Emma yet.

Charlie squeezed me back just as fiercely, then demanded to see his new grandbaby.

"Here she is. Emma Jane Whitlock-Cullen."

His usually gruff and strong voice wavered, softening mid-sentence. "Can I hold her?"

"Of course you can. Let me go put her in her jammies and I'll meet you in the living room."

Everyone came into the house and I got Emma dressed. In the living room, I handed Emma over — not that I hadn't trusted him to hold her standing, but … I was just a little nervous.

"She's amazing," he said. "You done good, kid."

He looked at me and I felt his pride radiating at me. I wiped away a few tears and half-hugged him again. "I learned from the best."

"Food's ready," Jasper said, leaning around the doorframe from the kitchen.

We gathered in the dining room, and Alice commented on the new portrait. I couldn't help but feel another swell of pride. My life had become something extraordinary, I realized. I never dreamed I could be that happy, and yet, every time I thought we'd reached a pinnacle and was certain the bottom would drop out, we just climbed higher.

I was grateful for our giant table as each of us filtered into a spot. I set Emma in her bouncy chair next to me, then looked around and took in the unfamiliar dishes each person had brought.

"You guys are so sweet. What are you going to eat?" I asked, giggling as I filled my plate.

I could tell Edward and Jasper had grilled the steaks, and the potatoes were probably Esme's to-die-for recipe that I went insane for every time she made them. Sue had made her famous pie, which had me licking my lips.

We talked and laughed as we stuffed ourselves. When the food was gone, Jasper brought a cake over to me with a single candle in it. Esme cleared up the plates, then came back quickly as the candle was lit and they began to sing. It was honestly the most amazing birthday, even if it took me well into the night to figure out exactly how old I'd turned.

Charlie averted his eyes when I fed Emma, which made me laugh. Everything was well covered with a receiving blanket, so there was nothing to see anyway. When I was done, Edward took her into the nursery and changed her, then put her in the swing in the center of the room.

I started with Alice, Emmett, and Rose's birthday gift, which was a book of coupons we could use — a night of babysitting, dinner delivery, and so on. I was so touched that this family who had more kids than we did, more burden than we ever would know, was still giving to us. The tears dripped as I hugged each of them, then took my spot on the couch again.

Sue smiled and handed me a small box. I opened it and saw a pendant hanging from a chain inside. I fingered the beautiful stone.

"It's a birthstone necklace."

My lip quivered again as I took it out of the box and turned toward Edward, handing it to him so he could clasp it.

"I love it," I said, looking down at the single blue stone. "Truly."

"You can add more, or not," Charlie said.

"Thank you."

Of course, Emma picked that moment to pipe up and add her two cents. I grabbed her from her swing and Esme took her while I finished opening my gifts.

"Do you know how hard you are to buy for?" Jasper asked, poking my ribs gently.

"Me?" I mock-gasped. "I can't imagine."

Wrapped in a box was a whole spread of spa-quality bath products. I sniffed and my eyes rolled back in bliss.

"That's not all," Edward said. "Keep digging."

At the bottom was gift certificate for a full day at the spa — every service they offered, practically.

"This was too much, you guys," I said, shaking my head.

"Not nearly enough," Jasper said, leaning to kiss me. Edward did the same, and for a brief moment, our guests weren't there.

"Well," Charlie said, clearing his throat. "We better get going. Work in the morning and all."

"Oh, so soon, Dad? Promise you'll come back."

"I'm just going home, Bells, not to a foreign country," he laughed, wrapping his arms around me once we were both standing.

"I know, I just miss you."

"We miss you, too," Sue said. "You should bring this sweet girl down to meet her aunt and uncle. I'm sure Leah would love to babysit for you."

"I'll definitely take her up on that."

When they were gone, Alice, Emmett, and Rose left almost immediately behind them.

"You can't stay either?" I pouted.

"Nope," Alice said. "We all have work tomorrow, and our babysitter made us promise to be home before ten. Maybe we can come over to your swank 'hood for trick or treating, though?"

Halloween!

"Yes, definitely. We still have a few weeks, so we'll make definite plans closer to the day."

She nodded and I watched as Emmett hugged each of the guys goodnight. They were hilarious with their bromance special-handshake nonsense. When they were gone, I closed the door and rested my head against it. Carlisle and Esme stayed a bit later, but departed at my first sign of exhaustion.

The three of us sat up in bed, talking about the evening and how much fun it had been. They watched me, and it felt nice but nerve-wracking to have their eyes on my bare upper body. I could feel my skin turn pink at their attention, and I wished it had been six weeks already… but a moment later, was grateful I still had time to adjust. My stomach was a pooch and my thighs jiggled more than usual, to say nothing of the bleeding situation. Even though Edward had pressed me against the kitchen counter and told me how fucking hot my body was just the other day, I had a hard time believing him.

For Halloween, we dressed Emma up as a ladybug. Alice, Rose, and Emmett brought Avery and Sadie. Avery was dressed as a butterfly, and Sadie was a Piglet. After we took lots of cute pictures of them together, Emmett and Jasper took Avery to trick-or-treat. Edward answered the door for the trick-or-treaters that came to our house while Rose, Alice, and I played with the babies. Sadie was a few months older then Emma, so they were both still in the mostly do-nothing stage.

It was a nice relaxing night with friends and all of our babies.

Over the next few days, I did my best to try and take care of myself. The first several weeks with Emma had been overwhelming, and although I already loved being a mom, it was hard not to just get lost in it and forget my own needs. I tried to take a few minutes each day and read, or write in my journal. I started checking my email again. Life was falling into place.

The day Edward went back to work and I was left alone, I thought I'd lose my mind. Emma was having an off day, and I wondered if I'd eaten something off to make her stomach upset or something. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with her the entire day. Of course, when Jasper came home after practice, she settled down quietly into his arms. I watched them walk around the room and it was as if they had their own groove together. It was interesting to watch how they interacted with Emma so differently.

"How was your day, sweetness?" he asked, coming back into my orbit.

"It was so long. Emma was upset all day, not that you'd know now…"

"I'm sorry, baby. Want me to run you a bath?"

"Oooh. I don't think I can say no to that. Will you keep me company?"

"Watch my sexy wife bathe? Pretty sure I can't say no to that…" he said, winking. "Let me take Emma and get everything set up for you. Why don't you grab us beers?"

"Perfect."

I grabbed and opened the bottles of beer, then shed my clothes and put them in the hamper in our bedroom. I could hear Jasper still talking to Emma, telling her jokes and snuggling with her. When I walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind me, I took a deep breath. Jasper had lit my favorite candles and poured my favorite bubbles into the tub.

After setting the beer bottles down, I climbed into the tub and laid my head against the cool porcelain. My eyes were closed, and I could hear Jasper shifting around in the room.

"There you go," he said, I guessed to Emma. "Now it's Mommy's turn for my attention."

I opened my eyes and watched as he picked up the sponge. After he dipped it in the warm water, he squeezed some body wash onto it. "Sit up," he said.

Wrapping my arms around my legs, I leaned forward and rested my head on my knees, eyes trained on him. The warm sponge skimmed over my shoulders and back. When the bubbles were plentiful against my skin, the sponge was set aside and Jasper rubbed and kneaded my tight muscles. I groaned and relaxed, everything feeling like it let go.

Our moment was broken when Em began to fuss from her bouncy chair.

"Hand her to me?" I asked. "She could use a bath."

"I wasn't done," Jasper said, pouting.

"I know, babe, but we'll have time later."

Jasper relented, unstrapping then undressing her. He put her clothes and diaper in the hamper, then went to grab a fresh diaper and pajamas while I snuggled in the tub with her.

"What am I gonna do with you, sweet girl? Just when I was getting some attention. You know we have to share those daddies of yours."

I laughed as her arms flailed in the water, splashing me and getting my hair soaking wet. I was sure I looked like a drowned dog, but I didn't really care. When Jasper came back, he sat on the floor, smiled and looked at us. I was so wrapped up in the three of us that I didn't notice Edward until I heard the telltale beep of his digital camera.

"Oh no," I said, flailing and splashing more, startling poor Emma in the process.

Edward laughed. "It was an innocent photo, I promise. Sorry to startle you."

"It's okay, I need to get out anyway. Take the little bean," I said, handing Emma to Jasper, who wrapped her up in the towel.

"How was your day?" I asked Edward.

"It was long," he said, sighing. "But you know, good. Nothing terribly exciting or terribly awful. How about you? How was your first day alone with Em?"

The two of them had moved to the side of the bathroom so I could step out. After I had my robe on, we walked to the kitchen.

"It was okay. She was a fussbucket, but a cute fussbucket."

We sat together and ate the stew I'd made, talking and flirting. Things were ramping up between us, and although I was already past the six week mark and cleared for sex, we hadn't yet found our groove as new parents and sexual partners. It felt like we stumbled and every time we got close, something would happen, like Em and the bath tub.

The truth was, I was nervous, too. I wanted them both, had felt all of those burning desires return, but I was really fucking scared about what would happen when we jumped back into that. Would they be grossed out by my stretch marks?

I didn't think so; more than once, separately, they'd told me how gorgeous I was and made me feel like my new body was even better than my old. I didn't see how that was possible, but the way they told me and looked at me was utterly convincing. Just thinking about it warmed me.

Edward took Emma into the living room to watch the news and Jasper and I did the dishes. When we walked out to join them, I had to smile at shirtless Edward, scrub pants hanging indecently low on his hips, and Emma curled up on his chest. Jasper pulled me into his lap on a chair adjacent them, and we giggled together, talking about the upcoming weekend. Alice, Rose, and I had plans to go shopping on Saturday, so I decided to make some plans of my own for Friday.

The next morning, I picked up the phone and called Esme.

"Es, do you think you could watch Emma for a few hours on Friday?" I asked, once we had the usual greetings out of the way.

"Of course, darling. You okay?"

I laughed. "Yeah, I'm good. Better than good, in fact. I think I want to take that spa day I got for my birthday and spruce myself up a bit."

"Ohhh. That sounds like a wonderful plan."

Her voice was full of the understanding of a woman that has been through childbirth.

"Thanks," I said quietly. "You wanna come over here so I don't have to haul half the house over?"

"Sure. Did you already call the spa?"

"Yeah. I knew you'd never say no. They expect me at ten."

"Then I'll see you at nine-thirty on Friday."

"Thanks, Esme. Really."

"You're welcome, honey."

I smiled, planning and plotting. I was going to get a facial, a massage, a much-needed bikini wax, and then a manicure and a pedicure. There had been talk of hair and makeup, but I knew we didn't have plans to go out, so I would do my best to just decline.

When I got to the spa on Friday morning, I was so ready for a day all about me. Aside from the waxing and pumping I had to do mid-way through, it had been perfectly relaxing. And, I couldn't deny — I definitely felt sexier once my pussy was smooth and swollen. I wanted to go home and spend hours coming with both of them.

I got home and Esme and Emma were reading a book on the carpet. Well, Emma was lying on her back and Esme was reading the book to her. It was really adorable, but not what I wanted. Then I felt guilty. I loved my baby, I just … I had other needs, too.

When Jasper got home from his game, they'd lost, so he was grouchy. Edward had a long day at work — he'd gotten thrown up on, and peed on, and I just felt defeated. I needed them, but I set that aside and took care of them both. I helped Edward undress and ran a shower, then sent them off to get cleaned up together. I snuggled with Emma and hoped that the next day would be better. Maybe after our shopping adventure was over, we could finally all reconnect.

**A/N2: After this chapter is where the futuretake takes place. I'll be posting it in here as a regular chapter, but it won't count – I will be posting it almost immediately after this one. New chapter next Wednesday.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This was originally an FGB futuretake written for tby789. Thank you to FGB, tby789, and TwilightMundi.**

****All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.****

* * *

><p>~o~<p>

I'd spent part of the day with Alice and Rose, just puttering around and doing a little Christmas shopping. Jasper was at practice with the team and Edward had graciously agreed to stay home with the baby. I couldn't be gone for too long, as I hadn't yet pumped enough milk to leave for more than a few hours, but the time I snuck away with my best girl friends was priceless.

Alice dropped me off at our house when we were finished. Holding my keys in my hand to keep them from jingling, I unlocked the front door. Quietly, I stepped inside, closing and re-locking the door behind me. I laughed to myself at Edward's insistence that we keep the door locked, even though we lived in one of the nicer, gated neighborhoods. Toeing off my shoes, I listened for any telltale sign of where Edward might be.

Music was coming from down the hall, so I walked toward the sound. As I got closer, I could hear Edward's piano and recognized the notes as Esme's song. It wasn't live though, so I figured Edward must've been listening to the playlist he compiled while the baby was still in utero.

Smiling, I turned the corner and paused at the sight before me. Edward was indeed in his office, naked from his scrub bottoms up. Emma was on his chest, pink frilly diaper cover over her cloth-covered bottom. They were blissfully asleep, the small infant's legs curled up underneath her, hands folded beneath her face like an angel as she slept.

Jasper was sitting in a chair kitty-corner from the couch, book in hand, watching as they slept. His smile was wide and loving when he saw me. Inclining his head to the chair next to him, he issued a silent plea for me to sit. As I did so, I extended my hand across the armrests and our fingers laced together as the last notes of the song played.

"Have you been watching them long?" I questioned, whispering.

He squeezed my hand before replying. "Just a few minutes. I got home and took a quick shower before coming in here."

"They've been asleep that long?"

It was kind of adorable how Edward loved to sleep with Emma on his chest. They had each bonded with her in such different ways, just like their personalities. Edward would talk about how important skin-to-skin contact was, and her development and milestones. He would bathe with her when he had the time, and they spent as much time together as they could just curled next to each other. Jasper, on the other hand, loved to read to her and move her body, stimulating her muscles and talking about soccer stats. He loved to snuggle with her, too, and it had been beautiful to watch him blossom as a dad.

I shifted in my chair, watching Jasper nod in response to my question as the strains of Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" began. Tears began to pool in my eyes and I rubbed my thumb along Jasper's palm. A gust of air came from my lungs as I watched Edward and Emma. The site and sounds were overwhelming and I was suddenly having a physical reaction to them other than the tears.

"Shit," I muttered, pulling my hand back to adjust the pads in my bra.

Quietly laughing, Jasper touched my arm. "You okay? Can I get you anything?"

"Yes, an awake baby to help me deal with this," I said, motioning to my overflowing breasts.

Just then, the tears spilled from my eyes as I sat back in the chair and watched my three loves. My eyes moved from Edward and Emma to Jasper, then back, as I listened to the hauntingly beautiful song. Willing my breasts to stop leaking, I set my elbows on my knees and looked down at the ground.

Jasper's hand rubbed slow, gentle, soothing patterns up and down my back. My thoughts shifted to how our family had changed, and how Rose and Alice were dealing with their own changing family.

When Jasper slid his hand under my shirt, I sighed. The contact felt nice and I appreciated it. I'd been cleared to be intimate a few weeks before, but we had so much going on in our lives that we had only been able to sneak little pockets of time with each other. My eyes closed and I began to relax against his touch.

Slouching forward, my body resting on my upper legs, I let my arms dangle from my body. A loud whoosh of air gusted from my lungs and I heard shuffling moments after. Cursing to myself that I'd woken Edward, I lifted my head up to look at him.

"Sorry," I said softly.

"Are you fucking kidding?"

His smile let me know that he was glad to see me, and he briefly glanced at Jasper and me. The sound and vibration from his voice woke Emma and she stretched on his chest, arms going opposite directions as her legs kicked out from beneath her. In that moment, she looked slightly like an alien, limbs akimbo and unbalanced. Edward smiled at me as he placed a hand on her back, ensuring she wouldn't fall. His lips met her forehead and he closed his eyes, inhaling her baby scent, as he always loved to do.

"Freak," I teased. "Stop huffing the baby and give her to me. I've got dinner ready."

Sitting up, I slipped my shirt off. My nursing bra wasn't the sexiest, but I was okay with it. It wasn't the most hideous I'd seen, either, thank God.

"I can see that."

As he spoke, his eyes roamed and he licked his lips. Jasper and I just laughed, but my brain started to work overtime and my heart beat just a little faster in anticipation. We were all home, and I knew that Emma would be awake for a bit after nursing, but then it would be bedtime. My entire body tingled, the hormones kicking into overdrive.

Shelving my dirty thoughts for later, I reached out for the baby. Edward sat up and brought her to me, his fingertips teasing my breasts as he placed her in my arms. I mock scowled at him as he sat back on the couch, and then shifted to coo and love my little one.

"Mommy missed you today," I whispered, kissing each of her pink cheeks.

My hand that wasn't holding her body securely to mine unlatched my bra cup and I positioned her to nurse, talking and touching her the whole time. As soon as she latched on, I tilted and positioned our bodies together, leaning back in the chair. One of my hands rubbed her sparse hair while the other held her tight.

"She has my hair," Jasper said. Laughing a little, he played with a grouping of curls on her head.

"She has my nose," countered Edward.

They both half-nodded, as if it were possible she was simply part of both of them, then shrugged. I giggled at the irony of the situation.

Watching Emma nurse was pure joy for me, once I'd gotten the hang of things. Her little nose would bob close to my breast, tongue and lips working together to provide the nourishment she needed. As she ate, we'd look at each other in wonder and amazement, usually with one of the boys around to help and keep us company.

"Do you need some water?" Jasper asked quietly, his hand coming up over mine on top of Emma's head. Sometimes they had to touch me to get my attention and it always made me laugh; Em and I would just get lost in our own world of each other, requiring contact to break my brain free.

"That would be great, thanks babe. Lots of ice, please."

Standing to get my drink, Jasper gave me one last broad smile and left the room. Edward quickly stole his spot, curling as close to me as he could get from the next chair over.

"I missed you today," he said. His lips found my neck and he nuzzled close to me.

"I can tell."

I couldn't help the small laugh and I turned my face to meet his. He peppered soft kisses all around my face, his nose and mouth marking every available surface with affection. Once he reached my lips, it was a slow, sweet kiss that he graced me with; nothing too dramatic due to our circumstances just then.

Emma's little fingers found my large digit and curled around it, and I shifted my gaze back down to her. Jasper brought my water in, glass full of ice as I had asked, and sat on the arm of the chair.

"My goodness, you are one lucky baby to have these daddies who love you so much," I cooed. "I'd be a little jealous right now if I didn't know just how much they loved me, too."

And I truly did feel loved in that moment, flanked by Edward and Jasper, our new baby curled in my arms.

After swapping sides and making sure Emma was good and fed, I handed her to Jasper to burp. Watching him nuzzle and snuggle with her was just as amazing as watching her with Edward. Where some husbands checked out during this time in a newborn's life, I was so glad that both of them felt so clearly connected to her, especially given our unique circumstances.

Jasper carried the baby into the kitchen, then set her in the swing. The three of us made dinner and interacted with her periodically, each of us taking on certain tasks. We talked about our day as we ate together, small, gentle touches between the three of us.

We made our way to the living room after Jasper changed the baby's diaper. Em and Edward played on the floor while Jasper and I watched from the couch and cuddled. Very subtly, his touches were shifting from the tender caresses of the last few weeks into something more. The reverence was still there, but there was need and passion behind it, too.

I felt the same way, the same need and pull, but I was a bit confused and a little scared, if I was being honest. I wasn't sure what postpartum sex would be like, and I was nervous. What if things had changed so drastically that sex wasn't pleasurable anymore, for any of us? The thought made my stomach churn. Logically, I knew I'd need to face my fears at some point, and that time seemed imminent, between the boys' eagerness and my own.

After I gave my little love a quick bath, I changed her into warm footie pajamas and we sat in the glider in her bedroom. We talked, sang, and absorbed ourselves in each other again as she nursed once more before her bedtime.

"Good night, sweetness," I whispered.

Placing one last kiss on her little nose, I laid her in her crib. Double-checking her monitor was on, I tiptoed out of the dimly-lit room. Edward had insisted on a fancy monitor with a camera and I laughed as I walked downstairs to them, remembering her first few nights in her own room. The three of us were huddled around the display, watching it like a reality TV show in our own house.

The boys weren't in the living room, so I wandered to the bedroom, the next likely place for them to be. Sure enough, they were huddled in bed, lying on top of the comforter, watching a movie. They made room for me and I curled up with them, sort of half laying on each of them.

Edward's fingers were running through my hair and Jasper was rubbing my calves, which ached from the earlier shopping. My eyes closed and again, the touches slowly drifted from care taking to sensual. From easing the tension to ramping it up. Relaxing my entire body, I sighed a happy sigh and lost myself in the sensations.

Our bodies shifted and I felt my clothes being removed, heard the rustling of the linens beneath me, the movement of other articles of clothing. Still, each moment, there were hands, mouths, and tongues on my body somewhere. Each time I felt the desire course through, however, the anxiety was right behind it.

Before I had time to get too lost in my worries, someone's lips were at mine. The kiss began soft and slow, but quickly multiplied in intensity. Another set of lips joined us, and I felt whole. Complete. _Right_.

Allowing my hands to roam freely, I touched and loved them. Hoping in the back of my mind to ease my own fears just a bit with these non-verbal reassurances, I leaned into the kiss. Tilting my head, I licked Jasper's lips, my eyes fluttering open. He was smiling at me, and I could see Edward's hands on both of our bodies, stroking and touching us.

Jasper's mouth left mine and I felt him moving lower, the rough surface of his tongue leaving a tingling path on my skin. My hips arched, clearly having a mind of their own, and I fought to repress a moan as his hands reached the apex of my thighs.

Exploring, his fingers touched and teased me as Edward's mouth met mine, a hand on my breast. I was nervous about that, too; how would they react if I suddenly began to leak? It wasn't like they hadn't seen it happen a hundred times, but this was new territory. What if they thought, in this context, this situation, it was gross? I couldn't exactly turn the milk production off...

"Stop, sweetheart," Edward whispered. "I can see your wheels turning. Let go. Let us love you."

His mouth was moving, teasing the rest of my body as he spoke. Each wet kiss he placed heightened my senses even more.

"God, you are so gorgeous. I don't think we tell you that enough ever, but especially lately," he said, lips wrapped carefully around the swell of my breast. "It's not just your body, either. You fucking glow, your happiness radiates through you and illuminates all of us."

Edward's tongue swirled lazily around my erect nipple. My body tensed as he slowly surrounded the flesh with his lips and teeth, then tugged gently. I could feel the reaction happening before I could stop him, and his words soothed me again; I needed to trust them. They were smart men – you turn the tap on, the faucet's going to leak.

Relaxing back into the mattress, I felt Edward's mouth vibrate against my skin, in pleasure or approval, I wasn't sure. His teeth released the pebbled nipple and he placed a soft kiss at the wet peak.

Jasper's hands were still teasing me, exploring the new body I owned. He ghosted them over my legs, my thighs, my stomach, up to where Edward was on my breasts, everywhere. Everything was more: my body, their touches, the sensations from being with them.

Taking a deep breath, I let out a whimper on the exhale. As nervous and scared as I was, the need for them was beginning to outweigh my worries.

"Poor baby. Are we teasing you too much?"

Jasper's cheeky voice taunted me, his hot breath swirling between my legs, exactly where he knew I wanted him. His fingers ghosted over my flesh again, then his mouth reached my center, tongue flicking out to slip between my lips. My hand, which had been running casually through Edward's silky hair, tensed and tightened around his locks. My body tensed, pushing up into Jasper. A laugh came from him then, directly against my clit, and I moaned.

My hand left Edward's hair and moved lower on his body; if they were teasing me, the least I could do was return the favor. It was all so much, _too much,_ maybe. I wanted to find some way out of my body, the over-sensitized and unfamiliar shell of skin that was causing me to panic and fly at the same time.

"Oh God," I breathed.

It must've sounded pained. It was pained, the strain of their slow, lingering tease winding my body tighter and tighter. Not just that night, but the tease they'd built over the last few days. My palm pressed against Edward's erection before my fingers wrapped around him. They weren't firmly gripping, just skimming the smooth surface of his hardness.

Edward's hips pressed forward and pulled back, pushing him into my hand, each of us finding a rhythm, as Jasper slipped a finger, two fingers, who knew, inside of me. Again, I was disoriented with the intensity of it. How could it feel so new when it was something we'd done countless times before?

My head twisted side-to-side as I lost myself in the pleasure. I let go of Edward and fisted the pillow above my head with both hands. Bending my knees, I drew them up closer to my body, rocking my hips against Jasper's face. Edward was kissing me slowly, a broad smile on his face as he touched my whole body. When I dared to look down, my gaze sweeping over the no longer mostly taut skin of my stomach, I could see one of his hands in Jasper's hair, and I groaned. Watching them show affection for each other was like my Kryptonite, never failing to make me weak in the knees.

Jasper used his tongue, mouth, and fingers to expertly coax an intense orgasm from my body. Only once I began to come down did it even occur to me that I'd been rather loud, and might've woken Emma. The lack of having to watch my words and volume in the past crept up on me, and I cursed. Sitting up, I realized that my breasts had begun to leak. Great, just great.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked, noticing my annoyance.

"Well, I just screamed so loud I'm sure I woke Em. Now my tits are leaking like I'm a milk factory. Seriously?"

I sighed, frustrated. I couldn't believe we were going to end our night already, either from baby interruption or body.

Abruptly, I was lying back on the bed, confused. My body was being attacked, in the best possible way.

"Em isn't even close to waking up, Bella. And fuck me, this is hot."

Jasper's words reassured me, but I wondered if he was just trying to appease me. Then I felt and saw the fervor with which he attacked me and I knew there was no faking that sort of reaction. His tongue lapped at my nipple, Edward's on the opposite side. As they quickly dealt with the small amount of milk that had leaked, I found myself lost again. The sensation of their mouths around the sensitive areola, licking, sucking, and biting as their hands roamed, was too much again.

Having no idea what the plan was going forward, I simply let myself touch them again. I had one of them in each of my hands, stroking them slowly and in sync. I needed more, so much more from them. My eyes connected with Edward, and his expression softened, as if he could see all of the need bursting out of me.

As Jasper moved up to hold me, Edward shifted his body to cover mine. He was kissing my neck sweetly, softly, and then interspersing gentle bites. Jasper moved so that I was lying on top of him, his knees raised on either side of my body, my back against his chest.

My body was responding to Edward's fingers and hands, exploring and exciting me again. Finally, I felt him rub the tip of his erection up and down once between my lower lips before he pushed slowly into me. Our bodies were aligned so that Jasper was touching my breasts, mouth kissing and nipping at my skin, as Edward slowly made love to me.

Edward's body lowered, pressing the three of us closer together, and I wanted more from Jasper. Lifting my upper body, I whispered into Edward's ear, my fingers touching his hair.

"I'm going to roll over, okay?"

He was still inside me, still stroking in and out of me, carefully driving me insane.

"Are you sure? This night is about you. Jasper knows that, too," he whispered back quickly.

I hummed in agreement, then added, "I'm sure."

With those words, I bit down on the side of his neck a little harder than he might have expected, I guessed from the yelp he let out. I laughed, and it was nice. They were both being respectful and worshipful, which was wonderful considering my energy level wasn't exactly where it had been before, but that didn't mean they couldn't both have fun, too. I needed, in every sense of the word, each part of both of them. I needed to reconnect, to remember our relationship, and to remind all of us of what we were to each other in our private sanctuary.

Edward moved back slightly, withdrawing from me so that I could turn as I'd requested. Moving Jasper's hands from my body, I turned and faced him. He looked confused, but went with the change in plans, his expression turning to a wide grin. Edward's hands slowly burned a path over my hips, my lower back, my ass. He swore, his hands touching more insistently, and I was glad I'd changed things up. I knew they'd both been intimate while I couldn't be with them, hell, I'd watched them more than once, but this was the three of us coming together again.

Licking my lips, I winked at Jasper. The more we pressed forward that night, the more saucy and sexy I felt. Beneath my hands and mouth, I felt Jasper's body relax, the tension and stress escaping with each breath. As my tongue reached out to wrap around his beautiful cock, he watched me carefully. It was one of the hottest moments in my recent memory. As I took him between my lips as far as I could, our eyes locked. He broke first, closing his eyes as his head tilted back, and I wasn't far behind.

Edward had teased me for a moment, then pressed forward again with his leisurely pace. One of his hands came around to touch and tease my clit, and I moaned loudly around Jasper. It was a chain of effect, Edward touching or teasing, me reacting, and in turn stimulating Jasper... sometimes it would flow the other way, Jasper's hand reaching out to touch or stroke me, causing my body to clench around Edward, which made him falter, or speed his movement.

Resting primarily on my elbows, I was able to move my hands to touch Jasper's thighs. Edward was thrusting into me harder, pressing me into Jasper, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer. Looking up at Jasper, I did my best to convey that I was close to the edge. Feeling the beginning of my orgasm, I sucked harder, my hand coming to the base of Jasper to help stroke and bring him to orgasm.

As I came, one long, low moan vibrated out against his skin, and I felt him tense beneath me. I barely had time to take a breath from my own orgasm as he began to climax. He was beautiful beneath me, body lean and tight, legs trembling to fight against the urge to pull me onto him.

I felt powerful and insatiable; the more they gave, the more I needed and wanted.

Pulling Jasper from my mouth, I swallowed quickly and carefully. My head fell and my eyes closed as I could feel my body succumbing again.

"Harder," I whispered. "Please, Edward, fuck me harder."

Jasper moved his body beneath mine, one of his hands traveling lower to meet Edward's, the other on my breast. As Edward picked up the speed, depth, and intensity of his thrusts, Jasper's mouth laved my nipple. I could feel the skin pebble and react to his touch, both of their fingers working a fast pace lower. Whimpering from the need overtaking me, I tried to contain my noises but just couldn't. My breath was coming out in ragged pants as they worked together to pleasure me.

The rush as I came that time, both of them so intimately attending to my body, as well as reeling through their own pleasure, was amazing. Edward cried out as he thrust into me hard one last time, and it took only seconds more for my body to explode.

"Fuck!" I shouted, my entire body going weak with my orgasm.

Collapsing onto Jasper as my body tightened around Edward, the shift in weight sent both of us to the bed. Momentary panic hit, until I was sure everyone was okay and no one was injured because of me. Panting, I laid there as the tidal wave of emotion crashed over me. Curling my knees up into my chest, I tilted my head down to meet them, wishing I could collapse my body into itself, bracing for the inevitable tears. My eyes closed, breathing jagged from the tears.

My body was cold, despite the comfortable temperature of the room. Shivering, my skin broke out in goose bumps. The tears escaping my eyes burned their path on my skin, some pooling on the bridge of my nose since I was on my side, and some falling directly onto the comforter beneath me. I realized that part of my body was wet, hence the shivering cold. _More milk, _I sighed.

Warm hands moved me, bringing the blanket over us, and gently pried my arms away from my legs. As I uncurled, eyes still closed, we wrapped around each other. There was no care or concern about the mess we were making in our bed, just the need to be close again. Letting the tears fall without care, I curled up to the body in front of me, taking a deep breath. _Jasper._

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

His lips were right at my ear. Edward's head was just behind mine, nose nuzzling through my hair, lips kissing softly.

"I'm sorry," Edward murmured a few times.

Shaking my head, I opened my eyes to look at Jasper as I spoke. "What are you sorry for, Edward?"

Resting his hands on my hips, he bent forward and kissed the top of my shoulders.

"I was too rough. I'm sorry, baby. So sorry."

"I'm fine, I promise. Better than fine, actually," I said, giggling a little. "I was just overwhelmed. That felt _so good,_ and nothing has felt quite that good in a while. I was so nervous and scared, and then it hit me all at once, and I was leaking and screaming, and..."

Jasper cut me off with his lips against mine. Edward's hand was wrapped around both of us, skin against skin where our bodies were pressed together. When Jasper broke our kiss to speak, he planted kisses around my face first. He was smiling again, that perfectly crooked smile that never failed to make my heart skip a beat.

"I love you," Edward whispered against my neck.

"I love you too, so much. Thank you for that." I laughed and turned to Jasper. "You too – thank you. I love you."

Our touches turned soft and loving. Hands wove into my hair, brushed gently over my breasts, and my own meandered of their own volition on each of their bodies.

"You know, I'm still leaking a little," I said, embarrassed. "Maybe we should change the sheets and take a shower?"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you to my epic win beta, TwilightMundi. You are amazing, and I am so glad to have you on my side.**

****All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.****

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><p><em>"You know, I'm still leaking a little," I said, embarrassed. "Maybe we should change the sheets and take a shower?"<em>

With Christmas coming up, I felt pressure to get everyone (especially the boys) the perfect gifts. I was grateful Esme had hosted Thanksgiving. Our house seemed to be in a near-constant state of chaos, baby toys and things everywhere at all times. I wanted to have everyone over for a nice Christmas dinner, though, and that would take some work on my part.

I still wasn't even ready to get back to the office with Edward. I'd way overshot the timeline for when I thought I'd be going back, but I couldn't bear the idea of Emma being with someone else all day, and we had the luxury of being able to afford me staying at home. My temporary replacement had worked out, so we asked her to stay on full-time, which thrilled her.

"Well, Ems, what are we going to get those daddies of yours for Christmas?" I asked as she stared at me. "Nothing can beat last year."

Slowly, I was getting back into my groove. I felt sexy again, and like I could really actually _do this._ I could be a mom. I could be a wife.

We'd gotten into a routine, and even though it seemed to change and shift on some days, I was glad for the semi-regular hours. I knew what to expect from day-to-day, and that was good.

The doorbell rang, startling Emma.

"Who is that? You stay right here," I joked.

Peeping through the viewhole, I saw it was Esme.

"Hey!" I said, lurching to hug her. "What are you doing here?"

"Eh," she said, shrugging. "I just wanted to get out of the office and I thought I'd bring you a sandwich. One of those fancy things you like."

"You are too sweet. Thanks, Es. Come in and eat with me, we can watch a movie and play with the baby."

"It's good to see you so happy again," she said, eyeing me from her side of the couch.

"Was I particularly unhappy?" I said around a mouthful of capocollo ham, pancetta, and provolone.

"No," she said, quickly taking a bite of her own sandwich.

I waved my hand for her to continue to explain.

"Well, I just, you know. I know how depressed I got after Edward. I was just making sure you didn't head that direction. Your mom isn't around to do all the things that mine did for me, and I don't want to overstep my bounds."

I rolled my eyes. "Esme, first, you could never overstep. Seriously. You do so much for us. And, you've become more of a mom to me than anyone else. Do you really think your boys weren't watching me like hawks, too?" I said, laughing. "Anytime I went to pee, they were right there, checking to make sure I didn't need help, or listening at the door. At first, I thought they were just being pervy, but then I heard them talking about it one night."

She laughed, too. "Okay, but there were a few days you worried me. Just know that you can always talk to me, even if it's about my son pissing you off."

"So noted," I said.

We ate quietly, watching the news and then flipping on a movie when our lunch was over. I picked Emma up and fed her, then Esme wanted to burp and hold her. Jasper got home from practice when the movie was almost over, curling next to me on the couch.

"Hey," he said, ducking down to kiss me.

"Hi baby. How was practice?"

"Good. I feel nice and sore in all the right spots."

His eyebrows waggled and we both laughed, Esme turning a peculiar shade of pink.

"Why don't you go grab a shower? Maybe we can surprise Edward and take him out to dinner after work?"

"That sounds perfect," he said.

After a quick kiss, he was off to the shower, and yeah, I watched his legs and ass as he walked away in those flimsy shorts.

"All right, I'm out of here. Maybe I'll make something nice for Carlisle, too."

"Aw, okay." I took Emma from her. "Thanks for stopping by! We should do this more often."

"Definitely," she said, smiling at me. "Don't get up, I know the way. Enjoy your night," she said, voice full of implication.

"Uh huh, you too!" I said, giggling.

"Someday we'll take you to one of Daddy's soccer games," I said to Emma. "Doesn't that sound fun? It's pretty loud, though, so we'll have to wait a bit."

I decided to change her diaper and clothes, so we went into her room and I hummed nonsense while I got her undressed and then clothed again in a cute new outfit.

"There. Perfect. Shall we go see what's taking Daddy so long?"

I carried her into the master bedroom and watched as Jasper walked around the bathroom, towel around his hips, getting ready. Suddenly, I realized I wasn't ready at all, so I grabbed the bouncy seat and took Em into the bathroom while we did our thing. Once or twice, I might have pushed Jasper against the counter as I molested him. He didn't seem to mind, though, touching and groping me right back. It took a lot longer than usual to get ready, but I wasn't complaining. By the time we were on our way out the door, I had to text Edward to tell him to stay at the office — that we were on our way to pick him up and take him out — otherwise, he'd have normally been on his way home.

After punching in the security code, we went in through the back office door and found him at the computer in his office.

"Hey," I said. "How was your day, Doctor Cullen?"

"It just got so much better, and not only because you called me that."

He stood up, kissing the three of us, and smiled, letting out a giant breath of air.

"Ready for dinner?" Jasper asked.

"More than," Edward said. "Let's go. Where are we going, anyway?"

I suggested a small, local place we'd been to many times before, and they agreed. We piled back into my car and I drove as they sat in the back seat with Emma between them. When we arrived, Jane, the manager, recognized us and said hello. She seated us, then stayed for a moment to chat and catch up. It was her first time seeing Em, so she fussed over her for a bit when Jasper took her out of the carrier, handing her back when the entryway to the restaurant filled up.

When the server approached, we ordered and then I excused myself to the restroom. On my way out, a woman that looked to be in her early fifties stopped me.

"Excuse me?" she said, wringing her hands. "You're with the two gentleman and the baby, right?"

"Yes," I said, confused.

"I saw your arm around the smaller guy, that's your husband, right? He kissed you right before you sat down."

"Yeah." I was still confused, and frankly, just wanted this lady to get to the point.

"Honey, I'm so sorry to tell you this. I think you should watch them. While you were in the bathroom, they got handsy and kissed each other. That's just not right."

Had it not been for the look of sheer disgust on her face, I'd have laughed. As it was, her judgment of them frustrated and angered me. I could understand her being protective of me, but that wasn't all of it; she was grossed out by two guys kissing. I thought for a few moments about how to respond to her.

"Thank you for letting me know. They do that often."

I didn't owe her a damn thing, certainly not an explanation for our behavior or relationship. I turned and walked away from her, shaking my head. I could hear her muttering to herself, trying to figure out what to make of us. When I took my seat again, I watched where she sat.

"What's wrong?" Jasper asked.

"Nothing," I said. "Just people don't understand sometimes."

"Understand what?"

"Us," I said quietly, looking at my menu.

When I looked up, I could see her watching me, half-confused, half-angry. I felt about two feet tall. I wanted to leave and go back home, but the waiter brought our drinks and took our order. When I finally handed my menu over and looked at Edward and Jasper, they were clearly waiting for more explanation.

"She saw you two kissing. She thought you were cheating on me." I shrugged. "Bound to happen, you know?"

"I'm sorry it upset you," Edward said, taking my hand in his. "Do you want to go?"

"And let her win? Fuck no," I said, halfway hoping my voice would carry. "I just need a minute."

"Exactly," Jasper said, taking my other hand. "She doesn't have to understand. She doesn't get to judge us."

I tried to let it go, but there was definitely tension in the air as we ate. When Emma woke up and was hungry, I pulled her out from the carrier and draped a cloth over us — something I always did when we were out. I wasn't even surprised when the lady across the restaurant visibly bristled, then made a show of asking for the manager. She and her male companion left shortly after. I just sighed, focusing my attention on my sweet little wee one, remembering that the world was made up of all kinds of people. Not everyone judged like she did — there was a whole restaurant of other people to prove it.

Edward took Emma while I adjusted myself and folded up the receiving blanket I'd covered us with, then tucked it back into my bag. He cooed at her and played while I finished my dinner, watching the three of them together. Jasper had finished his meal and taken Emma from Edward, so he could do the same, in a practiced maneuver between the three of us. I was wrapped up making goo-goo eyes at my men when the manager came over to our table.

"Can you believe that lady?" Jane said. "What a bitch."

She set a tray of food on the edge of our table and I thought it was weird she was serving. Maybe they were extra busy, or down a staff person.

"I brought you some dessert. Don't even try to argue. You need something sweet to end this day, Mommy," she said, sliding a piece of chocolate cake in front of me. Just the smell made me smile. "And don't worry, Daddies, I brought something for you, too. Panna cotta for you, Jasper, since I know it's your favorite, and zeppole with chocolate and caramel for Doctor Cullen. Enjoy, friends."

"I… Jane!" I protested. "You don't have to do this. You shouldn't have."

"I know I don't have to, Bella, but you guys have been loyal customers since we opened. It's the least I can do to thank some of our favorites. You're always kind to the staff, and I love it when you come in. Besides, have you seen these guys when they eat dessert? Just sayin'." She winked and walked away, carrying the tray filled with our dirty dinner dishes with her.

I wiped a tear before it fell, then looked up at them. They'd already dug in, and I had to giggle — she was right, they looked positively devilish while they indulged, all tongues snaking out and licking lips and happy faces. I joined them, and mentally sighed with relief and gratitude that we'd surrounded ourselves with such amazing people.

After paying the bill, we packed up and drove home. Emma slept most of the ride, but was awake and hungry when we got back, so I went to the nursery for some quiet time with her.

"Thanks," I said, looking up at Edward, who had set a glass of water on the table next to me.

"You're welcome." He leaned and kissed me, his hand running over Emma's sparse hair. "Need anything else?"

"Could you press play on the music? I'm just going to feed and bathe Em, then maybe we can all watch a movie?"

"That sounds like a great plan," he said, turning on Emma's playlist. "Meet you in the bathroom in a few?"

I nodded and smiled, looking down at my grunting princess. When she was full, I put her over my shoulder and patted her back as we rocked together. I gathered her pajamas and a fresh diaper and walked to the bathroom. Jasper and Edward were already in the tub, and I laughed.

"Head start, boys?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No funny stuff, just relaxing. Hand her over," Jasper said, reaching out for our daughter.

I kneeled down and handed over the naked baby. Watching as they both played with her, carefully washing her body and then her hair, I loved how they worked together. I could always use more hands, especially with a slippery, squirmy baby, and it was sweet to watch. When she was clean, I wrapped her in the towel and snuggled her once she had a diaper on. I left them alone for a few minutes and went to the living room with Emma, trying to find a movie I knew we could all agree on.

They came out, Edward in pants and Jasper in his boxer briefs, and sat on either side of me as we watched our movie. At one point, Jasper got down on the floor and put a blanket down for Emma to lie on. They chatted and played, and each time she would coo back at him or smile, it made my heart melt. Edward slipped off the couch next, and by the time the movie was over, we were all around her.

I shifted onto my elbows, thinking about how big she already was. Time was flying. "What do you think we should get her for Christmas?"

"Do babies even need Christmas gifts?" Jasper asked.

"Probably not," I said. "But it's her first Christmas. We have to get her _something_."

"Don't you think Mom will already go overboard?" Edward asked.

"I'm sure she will. We don't have to get a lot, just something, you know? It doesn't need to be expensive, either. I'll keep looking if you guys don't have any ideas.

"Hey Jasper, what would you have done if that lady had recognized you?" I asked. The curiosity had nagged at me all night, and I could tell from his expression that he'd put some thought into it, too.

"Honestly?" he asked, sitting forward to put his elbows on his knees.

"Yeah, of course."

"I'd have probably told her to go fuck herself."

"Really?" I asked, laughing.

"Really."

"But what if she went to the media? What if you got fired?"

He shrugged. I could sense he was holding back; I knew for a fact that it would crush him to not be Jasper Whitlock, soccer stud, but I let it go for the moment.

When Edward yawned, I realized how tired I was, too. "I'm going to go nurse and lay her down. Will you guys be out here or in the bedroom?"

They exchanged a look and both said "bedroom," at the same time, which made me laugh. Once I had Emma fed and down for a few hours, I stretched and yawned, shaking my limbs out as I walked. I wanted to be awake and enjoy Jasper and Edward. I walked into the bedroom and they were already on the bed, touching each other and kissing. As quickly as I could, I double-checked that the baby monitor was on with the volume turned up, then stripped off my pajamas and climbed in to our bed.

With a smile, they made room for me. We were a tangle of bodies, hands roaming as our lips touched and teased. Fingers plucked at my nipples, not minding the liquid reward. In fact, Jasper ducked beneath Edward's arm and eagerly lapped at what had spilled. Edward joined him quickly after, though, and I laid back, relishing their touches and kisses. Someone's fingers teased my opening, gliding up to my clit and circling back down. When they pushed in, I arched my back, wanting them deeper and harder, which pushed my breasts into their faces.

I bit back the whimper building in my throat and tried to relax.

"You okay?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah," I breathed, incapable of any more words.

I squeezed my right hand around Edward's cock, then pulled, hoping he'd get the hint. He did, moving his body so I had better access to him. With a few more requests and moves, we ended up with me straddling Jasper and Edward thrusting between our lips. I wanted to watch them, so I put my hands on Jasper's chest to help prop myself up, then continued to move slowly above him. Edward moved closer, and Jasper turned his head, taking Edward all the way inside his mouth. My hand went to my clit, rubbing and touching myself as my orgasm approached quickly.

Edward braced one arm on the headboard, the other reaching out to touch me. His fingers skimmed up my side, then circled my nipple, pulling. I came almost immediately, Jasper's hands bracing my hips as he began to thrust faster. Edward's ass flexed, his hips moving his cock in and out of Jasper's mouth rapidly. When my orgasm had stopped, I resumed moving on Jasper, uncertain if he'd come or not. His hands squeezed and released my body repeatedly, silently urging me to continue, and I moved faster.

I could tell when Edward came, his body pausing and tightening. His muscles were well-defined, and when his hand left my body to weave into Jasper's hair, holding him close to his body, I could feel myself respond, clenching against Jasper inside of me. It was so sexy to see them, to watch the way they touched and interacted together, seeking and demanding and giving to each other, and me, all at the same time.

Edward moved from Jasper's mouth and he straddled Jasper's legs, kneeling behind me. His hands immediately cupped my breasts, pulling my body against his and letting me rest my weight as Jasper held me steady and began pounding into me. One of Edward's hands lowered to my clit, and I came a second time as he whispered in my ear.

"I could see him fucking you from where I was," he said. "Watching his cock slide in and out of you, I almost got jealous. But his mouth is … amazing. Just like yours."

His fingers pressed and my body pulsed in response.

"You're going to come again, aren't you?"

I whimpered that time, unable to hold it in, and mumbled a yes.

His hand moved, fingers splaying and spreading around Jasper's cock, and I came hard. I was glad his other arm was around me as I tried to regain my normal breathing pattern and leaned against him more. I could barely move, my entire body exhausted and my leg muscles shaky from being spent. Jasper sat up after a few minutes, pulling all three of our bodies together in an embrace.

"Shower," he said.

"Mmm, quick one," I agreed.

When we were clean and back in bed, Edward settled in the middle.

"Do you think she's too little to take to Disneyland?" Jasper asked.

The bed jiggled with laughter. "Yes, but that's a completely adorable idea for maybe next year," I said.

"I always wanted to go as a kid."

"Your parents never took you?"

"Naw," he said.

"How about you, Edward? Did you ever go?" I asked.

"Hmm, yeah, I think we went to Disney World one year."

"Well, that settles it," I said. "We definitely have to take her, just not for a few years, so she can remember."

"It'll be so much fun," Jasper said. His voice was tired and low, sad I guess. It made me long to be able to take him there as a kid, but I resolved that we'd have just as much fun as grown-ups with our own little one. "Can you imagine?"

"I can," I said. "I really can."

{.}

On Christmas Eve we went to Esme and Carlisle's house for brunch. Charlie, Sue, Leah, and Seth were there too, which made me so happy. I had promised my dad that we'd visit them the day after Christmas, wanting to wake up in our own house Christmas morning, but it was nice to see him interacting with Esme and Carlisle as well.

I'd heard horror stories from Alice about how, even though their families didn't necessarily approve of their lives, they still demanded "equal time" among them, which made holidays a nightmare, so I decided before Em was even born that we'd always spend Christmas morning at our own house, just us.

We spent the first few hours getting ready to eat and socializing. I helped Esme, Sue, and Carlisle as much as they would let me. Throughout the early afternoon, I snapped as many stealth pictures as I could of everyone just doing their thing. I wasn't as fond of the posed fake-smile pictures, so I tried to get actual snapshots. Before it was time to eat, I took Emma into Edward's old bedroom and relaxed as she nursed. Edward knocked softly then came in.

"Hey," I said, smiling at him. "Where's Jazz?"

Edward laughed. "Playing soccer in the backyard with Seth."

"That's sweet. I bet Seth's having a great time."

"Oh yeah," Edward said. "You should have seen his smile when they went outside."

He sat next to me and held my hand lightly, which was nice. My eyes closed and I relaxed so much I actually fell asleep briefly. Of course, Emma wasn't having any of that, and fussed as soon as she was ready to switch sides.

"In these moments," Edward whispered, "it hits me again how much I love you both. Well, all three of you. I forget Emma's here sometimes."

"I know what you mean — both forgetting about her, and loving you guys. Is my dad behaving?"

"Yep."

The rest of the time was quiet hand-holding and secret smiles. When she was finished and changed, we made our way back downstairs. Seth and Jasper were just coming inside, teasing each other and Seth boasting that he'd scored a goal against _the_ Jasper Whitlock.

"Come on," I said. "You can even sit next to _the_ Jasper Whitlock."

Seth's man-crush was adorable. Everyone took a seat as Edward carried the portable crib upstairs and we laid Emma down for her nap, then took our spots at the table. Esme, Carlisle, and Sue had created such an amazing feast and I was famished. We all ate, stuffing ourselves with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, homemade rolls, and then pie. Wine flowed freely among most of the adults; I abstained, deciding to be our driver home. When the dishes had been cleared and leftovers dealt with, we assembled in the living room.

"Hard to believe that last year, we got the amazing gift of Miss Emma," Esme said, wiping the corners of her eyes.

"Don't expect anything that grand this year," I teased.

It was fun to watch people swapping gifts and opening things with such excitement. Emma got more clothes and toys than any infant would ever need, which made me glad I hadn't purchased her anything like that.

Sue and Charlie gave her a little pink soccer ball, though, and that made me laugh. Jasper got excited about that, and I could see them together in a few years, him teaching her to kick and run.

Esme and Carlisle gave us a weekend away, going overboard as usual.

"I know you can't go now," Esme said. "But maybe in a few months."

I just shook my head, knowing there was no sense in arguing. Besides, a night or two away once I'd banked enough milk sounded pretty heavenly to me. Jasper and Edward seemed to agree, both of them smiling and kissing each other, and me, as they contemplated where we could go.

When all the gifts had been open, Emma was awake and we made one last round to say goodbye. I felt exhausted, having spent almost the entire day surrounded by people after so many weeks spent mostly at home in my cocoon of privacy, and I was ready for my pajamas. I still had to wrap Edward and Jasper's gifts, but I giggled as I wandered into the closet to get them.

I'd gotten a few toys meant for us to use together, and I wrapped those quickly. Edward and Jasper were playing with Emma in the living room, so I brought the wrapped boxes out and set them under the tree, checking on them. I still had time before she was hungry or my boobs exploded, so I wrapped the last of the gifts. For Jasper, I'd bought some of the cologne Edward and I loved on him since he was running low, and a nice bottle of whiskey. For Edward, I'd gotten the gaming console he kept saying he wanted. I coordinated with Jasper and he'd bought a few games they'd both like as his gift for Edward. Edward wouldn't tell me what he'd gotten Jasper or me, and I looked forward to the surprise.

Finally finished, I dropped the packages to join the others and sat between the guys on the floor, picking Emma up to nurse. There were days when I felt like nothing more than a diaper-changing milk factory, but thankfully those were few and far between. We sat together watching TV and they were affectionate and sweet with both of us. Jasper laid Emma down when she was finished, and then the three of us climbed into bed together.

When the sun was up and we'd managed to sleep a longer stretch than normal, Emma's cry came through the monitor.

"Merry Christmas," I said, smiling.


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi. She is awesome and amazing. Thank you to stephk0525 for the pre-read. Thank you to kimpy0464 for the nursey info, and to DrTammy for offering help.  
><em>**

**_Thank you for each and every one of your reviews. You should have gotten a review reply (unless you have PMs turned off). I can't tell you what it means to get reviews — they are everything._**

**_**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**_**

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><p><em>When the sun was up and we'd managed to sleep a longer stretch than normal, Emma's cry came through the monitor. <em>

"_Merry Christmas," I said, smiling._

We got up and I changed Emma's diaper and relaxed on the couch to nurse her. Edward brought me some toast, a mug of coffee fixed exactly the way I loved it, and a glass of water while the breakfast casserole we'd made together the night before was in the oven.

"You first," Edward said, handing me a beautifully wrapped box. The tag said it was from Santa, which made me laugh.

"I can't open with one hand," I said. "You guys go first and once she's done I'll open mine."

Edward opened his Xbox, then the games that went with it. He was definitely excited, and that made me so happy. He could be so difficult to buy gifts for.

"Thank you, love," he said, leaning over to kiss me. "This is perfect."

Jasper opened his gifts from me next, his mouth forming that beautiful pouty smile when he saw the whiskey.

"It's wrong to drink at nine AM, right?"

"Sorry, babe," I said. "You can indulge tonight, though."

He waggled his eyebrows at me and Edward and we all giggled. I had a feeling we'd all be indulging later.

I'd made them set aside the boxes from me that I knew had naughty things in them, wanting to open the other gifts first. As they tore into their dirty gifts, they opened the lids and dumped out the contents. I had to laugh at the way we treated sex kind of casually — that wouldn't be able to go on much longer, not with a curious baby getting ready to crawl and explore.

There were a few vibrators, some lube - regular and flavored, and some stainless steel toys. I'd bought an egg vibrator just like the one they'd given me on our very first Christmas, to replace it since it had long ago broken. By the time they had everything unwrapped and ready to wash, Emma was finished. Jasper took her and it was my turn to unwrap my gifts.

The box Edward had handed me earlier was first, and inside was a gorgeous bracelet. It had emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds. Each gem reminded me of us, something I'd said to Edward more than once, so it touched me that he remembered. Once I had it clasped around my wrist, I opened the other gift, also labeled from Santa. When the paper had been torn away, I could feel the lump in my throat. It was a gorgeous black and white photo of me nursing Emma. Edward must've taken it without me noticing him, and I wrapped my arms around him.

"Thank you."

"Actually, Jasper took this one. I gave him a few hints, but it was his idea. He shot it and had it printed and framed."

"Well, thank you too, then," I said, leaning into Jasper as much as I could without squishing poor Em.

Jasper put Emma in to the bouncy chair and we all went into the kitchen to eat. The entire day was a whole lot of nothing, and I was excited about putting our new gifts to use that night. When Emma was in bed for what I knew would be a bit of a stretch, I dragged Jasper and Edward to the bedroom. Once we were free of our clothes, Edward and I laid Jasper on the bed, and I grabbed the bottle of lube, a smaller vibrator, and a towel. Without words or a plan, Edward moved up to Jasper's head, kissing him. I watched from between Jasper's legs as I touched and stroked him.

Uncapping the bottle, I let the silky liquid drip down onto the base of Jasper's cock, then slide to where he needed it. My fingers followed, teasing and tracing circles before pushing in slightly. His hips bucked when I lapped at the head of his cock then took him inside my mouth. I sucked and snaked my tongue out, licking while my lips surrounded him. After a few moments, I grabbed the vibrator I'd brought over and pressed the head inside of him.

His grunt was muffled, and I looked up at them to see what they were doing. I watched Edward's ass flexing and pushing forward, then retreating. Once I figured out Edward's rhythm and had the vibrator well-lubed and all the way inside of Jasper, I did my best to match the pace and timing. Jasper began to move, pushing into my hand holding the toy, then lifting up against my lips. I could imagine Edward looking down into his eyes and whispering sweet and dirty things to him as he held on to his hair.

My body reacted to the sight of them and the room suddenly got hotter. I tried to figure out a way to touch myself while I was pleasuring Jasper, but I could barely think beyond what I was busy doing. I gave up, knowing my turn would come. I focused on them, watching them together, and watching Jasper react to my movements. His body was like a piece of art, sculpted and smooth. Edward's was too, but in different ways and areas.

Jasper grunted and groaned, and I could tell they were close to their orgasms. I switched the vibrator on, then pressed harder, faster, deeper, and paid closer attention to moving my other hand and mouth against Jasper's cock. He came seconds later, and I quickly swallowed. While he came down, I continued to lick and kiss him, carefully pulling out the now turned off vibrator. I set it on the towel and moved up Jasper's body, kissing and touching. Edward had already moved off to the side, so I straddled both of them, one of my legs surrounding one of each of theirs.

I gave them a minute to recover and enjoyed their roaming hands, my need ramping higher with each passing second. For half a second, I was worried they'd fall asleep. When Edward rolled me over to the other side of Jasper, I smiled. He grabbed my legs and settled himself between them. As he kissed me, his hands moved through my hair. My hips flexed, pressing myself against his body, and I moaned softly.

"Poor baby," he teased. "Did we leave you frustrated?"

Edward plucked at my nipple as he continued to with his words.

"I promise to make it up to you," he said, working his way lower, kissing and licking.

Jasper moved to my mouth, taking Edward's place and pressing his lips against mine. His hands moved to my breasts, teasing me in much the same ways Edward had.

Edward slowly pushed his fingers inside of me, pulling them back out at the same torturous pace. He lowered his mouth and although I couldn't watch since Jasper was blocking the view, I could imagine what he was doing. I let go of thinking about it and soaked in the sensations. I held on as long as I could, prolonging the inevitable as Edward flicked my clit with his tongue and Jasper continued to bite and suck at my breasts and skin. When I came, I was panting and sweating, every ounce of focus and concentration spent.

I slept soundly, something that hadn't happened since Em was born. I didn't wake up worried, I just slept and slept and slept. When she woke up the next morning and I heard her crying, I rolled over and realized Jasper had already gotten up. I waited in bed, ready to lazily nurse her as we all woke up.

We weren't due at Charlie and Sue's house until later in the afternoon, so we spent the morning being lazy in bed, watching TV. Edward was reading a medical journal and Jasper kept looking at his phone.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, sweetness," he said, leaning over to kiss me. He didn't put his phone away, though, and I saw him texting several times throughout the day, which was unusual for him.

When we got to Charlie's house, Jasper left his phone in his pocket, but he had an unsettled air around him. I felt anxious and nervous; was he having second thought s about being a dad or husband? Had I done something to upset him? There was a pit in my stomach at the thought that he was withholding information.

Despite my anxiety, I managed to make the most of the day.

I took eleventy billion pictures of Charlie holding Emma. She was already so different from her newborn days and I wanted to be able to show her these moments. The way he held her, awkward and uncomfortable but _sure_ he wanted to be holding her, made my heart melt.

"You're such an awesome grandpa," I said, poking him in the ribs.

"I have some ground to make up for, being a not-so-awesome dad." His voice was sad and soft, and I wanted to hug him.

"Hey, you did what you could."

His head bobbed and his lips twitched in a barely-there smile. I could feel his guilt, thick like a blanket over us, with no way for me to ease it.

I put my hand over his, thin skin and veins cold against my warmth, and squeezed.

"Okay baby hog," Sue interrupted. "It's my turn. These kids are going to take off soon, and I want to hold her."

Watching them transfer her was comical, but when she was settled in Sue's arms, I snapped a few more pictures. Charlie sat next to them, one of his arms around Sue's shoulders, and it was something magical. He looked at Sue almost the same way he looked at Emma. Of course his love for each of them was different, but the depth of it was profound. I was glad he'd found Sue, and that together, they'd found their way out of sadness.

For a brief moment, I wondered what it would have been like to have Sue as my mother, but quickly banished the thought. My life would have been so vastly different, and I wanted nothing to do with anything that could possibly have altered my path.

"Ready?" Edward whispered to me.

"Yeah. Let's give them a few minutes while we pack up."

We carried all the stuff that goes along with traveling with a baby back out to the car and did what we could to stall.

"It's that time, guys," I said. "Sorry."

"Just means you have to come back sooner," Sue said, handing Emma to Edward.

"Or you can come visit again," I said. "It's not _that_ far…"

Everyone nodded and smiled, but Charlie gripped me so tightly when he said goodbye, I worried something was wrong with him.

"You okay?" I whispered.

"Yeah, kid, I just miss ya. You get old, you realize all the time you lost. Don't waste any of it."

I tried to keep his advice in mind over the next few weeks. I could feel the tides turning — Emma was sleeping longer, I felt better than I had in months, and our routine settled down into something manageable. I'd even brought Emma into the office to see Edward, Esme, and Carlisle.

Soccer season was in full swing and we'd talked about taking Em to a game once the weather had warmed up a bit. I looked forward to that, but also wondered how awkward it would be to not talk to her the entire game about Daddy out on the field. It was one thing when it was just Edward and me, but what would we do when Emma could point and say "Daddy"? There was so much we hadn't thought about, I realized.

Jasper's behavior had settled down a bit, but I could still feel the tension rolling off him some days after practice or a game. We'd gone to dinner the night before the game we were all going to and he was texting like mad on his phone again. I gave him The Look a few times, but he just shook his head and I could tell he didn't want me to ask about it.

When we got home, though, I couldn't let it go. Emma was in her crib, and Edward was on the other side of Jasper. With him in the middle, I curled my body to his, and turned my head, resting my cheek on his chest.

"What aren't you telling me?" I asked quietly. "And did you tell him, or are you keeping a secret from both of us?"

Edward's Kindle slowly lowered until he was looking at us in expectation.

"It's not a big deal, Bella," he said, his voice tight. "And no, I haven't told either of you. I didn't want to tell you. It'll go away. It's nothing."

"It's clearly not nothing. I just want to help. Or talk about it." I could feel my throat closing as I again contemplated all the reasons he might be keeping secrets. "Are you unhappy?" I asked, watching helplessly as a tear slipped from my eye and landed on his bare chest.

"No! Jesus," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "It has nothing to do with my feelings for you guys."

His thumb reached out and wiped another tear away.

"I can't promise it will go away and not tell you?"

"No," Edward and I said at the same time.

"The woman from the restaurant knows who I am."

There were several moments of silence where no one really knew what to say.

"So?" I finally asked.

"She's just trying to stir up drama. She has no evidence, thank god, but she contacted Coach. He made it sound like she was considering going to the gossip magazines. We've been working with my PR people to figure out how to deal with her."

"Do you have a plan? Does that mean we should skip your game?" I asked. I could feel my anxiety level creepy up.

"We're still trying to put together a whole plan, but no, you should absolutely not skip the game. This is what I didn't want," he said, clearly frustrated. "I don't want to alter how we behave. Even if she does go to the press, it's not that big of a deal. It might mean I lose some fans, but people are more open-minded these days, I think. I doubt it would get much play outside the rags."

No one said anything more about it, in a moment of denial from all of us. It was as if the incident would magically go away if we didn't acknowledge the seriousness of it.

I barely slept that night. I held Emma close, rocking her and talking to her quietly as she nursed. When she fell asleep, I didn't put her down. I could feel the storm clouds rolling in, but I had no idea what this would mean for us — I just knew it wasn't going to be good. Jasper was so casual and optimistic about it. I couldn't find that strength inside to believe it would all be okay.

The next day, Jasper left early in the morning to practice, then met us for lunch at the cafe by Edward and Carlisle's office. We agreed that Edward, Em, and I would wait for him after to grab ice cream together and celebrate Emma's first official game. It sounded like the perfect idea, and I couldn't wait. I hadn't been able to attend many games since I'd given birth, but Edward had; it would be nice to go together, like we used to.

When it was time, we sat in our usual seats, decked out in all our team gear, and I held Emma on my lap — she was wearing her team onesie and had her stuffed mascot. Edward and I bought beer and hot dogs and I was glad the weather had finally cooperated. I was excited to see my man in action, and I could tell Edward felt the same.

Watching Jasper sign autographs before the game made me smile. He interacted with children and adults in such an easy way that I envied. He looked up at one point and gave us a huge smile, which made me feel slightly more at ease.

The game got underway and I was clapping Emma's little hands together.

"Does he seem distracted to you?" I asked Edward quietly.

"No. Stop worrying."

"He doesn't have his game face on."

"I'm sure he's fine."

My hot dog sat in my stomach like lead, and I gulped at my beer. During halftime, Jasper looked up at our section again, and I tried to calm myself down. I was just over-reacting. Everything was fine. Jasper was smiling and although the score was still 0-0, everyone seemed to be doing their best.

The players filtered back on to the field, and I started to nurse Emma. I got her settled and covered, then looked up and started to watch the game again. It was like a moment of time in slow motion. I could see Jasper and a teammate running toward the ball, which the other team had control of. Everyone was so focused on the ball, though, that they all collided. It was four people smashing together like bowling pins.

I'd seen incidents like that happen — people crashed into each other all the time, then shook it off and walked away.

Jasper didn't keep going, though. In fact, he fell to the ground, dropping like a stone. Everything went silent for the briefest moment, and then I could hear his teammates calling out for help and an ambulance.

I hadn't anticipated all of the noise that seemed to flood in. People began to surround him and the entire stadium was buzzing with panic. I couldn't see him, couldn't hear him, and had no idea if he was okay. Edward must have felt the same way because we both shot out of our seats, forgetting to even grab our diaper bag, and ran.

As fast as we could, we ran down to the inner stadium area. Security wouldn't let us in, though — we weren't seated there and he had no idea who we were. I knew if we could get in touch with Jasper's coach he'd let us back, but he was already on the field and likely wouldn't hear his phone, or want the distraction. I considered going back to our seats, but we still wouldn't really be able to see much. If we stayed where we were, I prayed one of Jasper's teammates would come talk to us or let us back.

I paced, putting my clothes back together and trying my best to soothe Emma, who had obviously been bounced around during the run.

"Oh, God. Shit. Jesus. Edward, did you see how bad it was?"

"No, but… No," he said, shaking his head and tugging at his hair.

The sirens of an ambulance stabbed my ears with their deafening tone. Would they bring him out through this area, or someplace else? Maybe it was just a pulled muscle, I tried to tell myself. But I knew, deep in the pit of my stomach, I knew it was bad.

Tears flooded my eyes and I had to remind myself to take slow, measured breaths. I didn't need to pass out; I needed to be strong.

"Edward, where are they going to bring him out?"

"I have no idea."

"Should we wait here?"

"I don't know."

He was upset and angry, but not with me.

"Around back," the security guy said, finally taking pity on us.

We ran together, and sure enough, the ambulance was parked, doors open and ready. Hand-in-hand, we waited. When the stretcher appeared, I was shocked at the amount of blood beneath Jasper's legs. He seemed to be unconscious, too. I gasped, turning away from the sight.

"Oh fuck," I said into Edward's chest. Emma was in the sling, pressed between us.

Edward whispered something and I could tell he was surprised, too. Coach came over and told us we needed to head to the hospital. I felt sick when he described to Edward what kind of injuries Jasper had, the description of bones sticking out and blood making my stomach churn.

"That explains all the blood… Thank you," Edward said to the coach. "We'll keep you updated."

"I'll be at the hospital the second the game is over," Coach said.

"Come on," Edward said, pulling my hand and helping me walk to the car. I still felt dizzy and nauseated, grateful he was driving and not me.

There was a lot of medical jargon kicked back and forth once we got to the hospital, only about half of which I understood. They'd done x-rays and taken Jasper back for immediate surgery with the best orthopedic surgeon on staff. Once Edward had time to explain to me, he told me Jasper's tibia and fibula had several extensive compound fractures. He'd likely passed out from the pain on the field.

Carlisle and Esme came as quickly as they could close down the office and reschedule people. Thankfully, they'd also stopped at our house and grabbed baby essentials.

True to his word, Coach showed up, white as a ghost. I tried to avoid listening when he was talking to Edward, Carlisle, and Esme about what he saw on the field. Edward already knew how bad it was from the medical reports and had told me — I didn't want another replay of what I'd seen.

It felt like Jasper was in surgery forever. When they were finally finished, the surgeon came out to talk to us.

"This is going to be a long recovery," the surgeon had said.

"Is he going to fully recover?" Coach asked.

"I can't speculate about that. I have no reason to believe he won't, but if you're asking me if he'll play again? I just don't know. It's bad. Really bad."

"When can we see him?" I asked.

"Soon," he said. "We're just getting him awake and extubated. We'll get him assigned to a room and you can see him there."

Edward squeezed my hand and I knew all we could do was wait. Coach decided to go home, asking us to update him when we could, and gave Edward his cell phone number. He left after hugging all of us, and I was grateful he was so supportive. When they finally had a room for Jasper, we all walked over. I was exhausted and every part of my body hurt. I wanted to curl up in bed with both of them and forget this day had ever happened. If I could just rewind a little bit…

Inside the empty room, we sat and waited more. Esme held my hand and we huddled together. When the edge of his gurney turned the corner to the room, everyone stood, anxious and excited to see Jasper awake. I needed to see his face, touch his skin, remind myself that it was only a broken leg. Jasper was still there, still okay and with us.

Once his bed was in place, wheels locked, we surrounded him.

"Hi baby," I said, tears falling onto the white blankets covering him.

"Hi," he croaked, reaching for my hand. His other hand reached for Edward's, and relief washed over me.

I didn't know what else to say. I wanted to take all of his pain away.

"What'd they say, Doc?" he asked Edward.

"Your surgeon will be back in a few minutes to update you."

Edward lifted their joined hands, IV snaking into Jasper's, and kissed his skin.

"I'm going to guess from the looks on all of your faces that it's not good," Jasper said, sighing and closing his eyes. "Wake me up when he gets back, 'kay?"

His words slurred and he fell back asleep before I could tell him how much I loved him. Edward and I stayed by his side, though, and when the doctor showed up again, I leaned in and kissed Jasper's forehead, stroking his hair and trying to carefully wake him.

The surgeon rehashed everything, answering Jasper's questions and crafting his words in such a way to give Jasper hope, but also to be realistic. Recovery would be a matter of months, not weeks, due to the nature and degree of his injuries. Jasper looked exhausted while he listened and shortly after the doctor left, went back to sleep.

"Sweetie, why don't you let me take Emma so you can get as much rest as possible?" Esme said, rubbing my back.

"I don't know, Es," I said, unconsciously pulling Em closer to my body.

"You're going to be useless if you have to nurse and sleep in a chair all night, plus she needs to get some sleep. The last thing you need is a cranky baby tomorrow."

She had a point there.

"Okay," I said, sighing. "Thank you. You know where the milk is in the freezer?"

"Yep, I remember."

Carlisle took the spare diaper bag they'd grabbed at our house from me and I strapped Emma into her carseat, then kissed her before Esme picked her up.

"I promise I'll take good care of her, Mama," Esme said. "And we'll handle Edward's appointments for tomorrow. Try to rest. When Jasper wakes up, tell him we love him and we'll be back tomorrow."

The nurse came in to check Jasper's vitals several times, and before I even realized it, the sun was rising. I'd dozed on and off in the chair next to Jasper's bed all night, and I felt gross — clearly in need of a shower. It seemed unfair to complain about being exhausted when Jasper was lying in front of us, broken. Thankfully, we'd gotten a snack from the cafeteria sometime in the middle of the night. Edward went off in search of coffee and a loaner hospital breast pump, both of which were desperately needed.

"Good morning, sweetness," Jasper said, startling me. I'd closed my eyes for just a quick second.

"You're awake! How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. But I'm so glad to see you," he said. "Where's Edward?"

"Coffee run," I said, smiling. "Can I get you anything? Are you in pain? Do you want me to call the nurse?"

I stood up, running my fingers through his hair and generally fussing over him.

"Nope, I'm good for a minute. I'm sure she'll be in here any second anyway to take my vitals again."

"True, true." I sat back down, my eyes never leaving his. "I'm glad you're okay. I was really freaked out."

I took his hands in mine.

"Don't you know how tough I am?" he asked, winking at me. "A little break isn't going to keep me down long."

Edward came into the room, huge smile on his face. "You're up!"

"Barely," Jasper said. He let go of one of my hands and reached for Edward, who was setting my coffee on the side table closest to me. "Did you stay here all night?"

Edward and I nodded.

"That's not good," Jasper said, frowning. "Do you want to go shower and nap?"

"No way," I said.

"You can't stay here tonight," he said. "I need you to be well-rested so you can kick my ass when I come home and start trying to do things I shouldn't."

"I'll go home to sleep for a few hours and shower, I promise."

Jasper turned from me to Edward. "You too," he said.

"No argument. I'll be here every minute I can be, though. I'll try and get a short day tomorrow."

We worked it out so that Jasper was never alone, except for a few hours each night when he insisted. After seven long days and nights, the doctor released him. He had a brace on his leg with pins sticking out of it, and crutches, with strict instructions to put absolutely no weight on his leg. No one was sure if Jasper would ever play again, least of all Jasper, but he was home and I don't think Edward or I stopped doting on him the entire first night.

I'd run to the drugstore to get his prescriptions and a candy bar, when I saw it. Nestled in the rack, there was an infamous gossip magazine with a giant headline that read _Soccer Star in Scandalous Gay Threeway Alleges Fan._

The bag of medicine I had in my hands fell to the floor and I reached for the glossy paper. I found the page and read the article as fast as I could. There were so many lies, my head began to spin… but there were also truths. Private truths about us that only some of our closest friends had known about. I quickly picked up the meds, then paid for my trashy magazine. The moment my ass hit the seat in my car, I began to sob.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi, and to stephk0525 for pre-reading this chapter. **

**Thank YOU for reading and reviewing the last chapter! What an awesome response I got. Thank you! Every review makes me smile like you wouldn't believe.**

**Friendly reminder that this story updates every Wednesday. It might be in the morning, or it might be late (like this week! Sorry!), but this story will update each and every Wednesday until it's complete. **

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

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><p><em>The moment my ass hit the seat in my car, I began to sob.<em>

I contemplated not telling them, but I'd bought the evidence and there was no way I could keep it to myself. We'd need to talk about it, and frankly, I was surprised Jasper's PR people hadn't already called him.

I have no idea how I got home, I just know that once I stopped crying and composed myself, I drove. On auto-pilot, I was safely in the garage a few minutes later. The moment I walked in the door, I knew Jasper's PR people _had_ called. In fact, he was still on speaker phone with them, Edward at his side and Emma playing on the floor. I gave Jasper his pain medicine, then unwrapped the candy bar; I definitely needed the chocolate immediately. I listened, trying to hear what they were saying and figure out how they were strategizing, but a lot of it was lost on me. I was busy thinking about all the different ways we could go after this woman legally.

"What about libel charges?" I asked during a lull.

"We don't want to attack her," a nameless voice said.

"Why the fuck not?" Jasper asked.

"We feel it's better if we simply don't acknowledge the statements."

"That's bullshit," Jasper mumbled, his voice laced with anger. "My family is under attack and you expect me to pretend it's all sunshine and fucking roses?"

I squeezed Jasper's hand. He was clearly very upset, which made me upset; he needed to rest and heal, not get super stressed.

"I've already been in touch with the newspapers; they said their sources were all confidential and they won't even tell me who it was anyway. I'm sorry," he said. "There's really nothing more you can do, and no one to point the finger at."

"Let's just face it, guys. My career is probably over. Why don't we just do a press conference or a segment with the sports channel and get it over with. I'm not ashamed of who I am, or who I love," Jasper said.

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I could see Edward pressing a finger to the edge of his eye, too. _Saying_ you'll sacrifice your career and actually doing it were two different things, but here was Jasper, willing to drop it all for us.

"Have you talked to Coach Stanley?" the PR people asked.

"Not since yesterday." Jasper's voice wavered slightly. "Why?"

"We want to find out what his position is. He can't legally fire you, but he could make life very difficult for you when and if you return, Jasper. We have to think about what's best for your brand."

"What about what's best for my life, Garrett?"

The conversation went quiet and I was worried. Would this company drop Jasper? Shit, what if he actually never played soccer again? Did he even need a PR firm or an agent?

"We need to have a few more conversations over here about how to proceed, Jasper. Don't file charges, though, please," Garrett pled. "We'll call you tomorrow with some fresh ideas. In the meantime, call Stanley and your agent, make sure we're all on the same page."

"Sounds good," Jasper said. "Goodbye."

After he pressed _end_ on the phone, he turned to me.

"I guess you heard?"

"More like saw," I said, pulling the magazine from the plastic bag.

"We need to call Carlisle, Edward. This is going to impact you guys, too," Jasper said. "What do you think we should do?"

What I really wanted was for Jasper to not get hurt. Then I wanted to go back in time and bitchslap the woman at the restaurant. I wanted it to all go back to the bliss of two weeks ago.

"Maybe it's a blessing," Edward said. "Maybe it was just bound to happen."

I gigglesnorted. "You two do have a hard time keeping your hands off each other when we're out."

"And you," Jasper said, grabbing my breast. His thumb swept over my nipple and I inhaled sharply.

"Hey, hey," I chastised. "No starting what you can't finish, injured boy."

"I can watch _you_ finish," he said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Focus, Jazz. Maybe the best thing to do is for Edward to call Carlisle and you to call Coach Stanley?"

They nodded and began pressing buttons on their phones. While they talked, I thought more about how we could get back at the woman that was essentially at the heart of crushing Jasper's entire career. My mind twisted scenarios that I knew would never play out, and I surprised myself. I'd never been one for vengeance, but then again, I'd never really been someone people fucked with before. This was personal, and I was pissed.

When I realized both men were done with their phone calls, I started listening again.

"Carlisle said not to worry. He doesn't care what it does to our offices, but he's pretty sure there will be very minimal impact. Most of the people have known both of us for decades and they trust us; that's what matters most."

"Coach said I have a job as long as I can play."

I heaved a sigh of relief. Everything would be okay. No need to go scorched Earth. _Yet._

"Now we just have to get you back into fighting shape," Edward said, wrapping his arm around Jasper's shoulder and leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"I need to call Paul. Why the fuck hasn't he called me?" Jasper looked down at his phone. "Oh. He has. Shit." He pressed a few buttons and I could hear ringing on the other end of the line, then a loud male voice.

"Do you want some lunch?" I asked Edward.

He nodded, so I went to the kitchen and made us all sandwiches. By the time I came back out with them, I could tell Jasper was feeling the full affects of his meds. He was sort of slouched further into the couch and now and then his words would slur, making me half-giggle. He waved away the sandwich, mouthing to me that he'd only be another minute on the phone, and I sat next to Edward as I took a bite.

"I gotta go, Paul. I'm starving and so over this conversation," he said, sounding as exhausted as he looked. "Sounds good. Get it scheduled. Talk to you later."

When the phone was on the table beside the couch, Jasper bent over and put his face in his hands.

"You gonna be okay?" I asked, scooting next to him and handing him his sandwich.

"Yeah, I just … feel a little left out to dry, you know?"

"I can't even imagine. Do you guys have a plan?"

Jasper nodded, but stuffed his mouth before he could tell me anything.

"I'll give you all the details after a nap, 'kay?" He looked conflicted between eating and closing his already-droopy eyes.

"Let's get you to bed. Don't fall asleep right here, I don't think Edward and I can carry you."

We stood on either side of him as he walked with his crutches and helped get him tucked in once his sandwich was gone. Emma was hungry, so Edward and I sat in the living room as I nursed her.

"What do you think is going to happen?" I asked.

"I have no idea. Do you mean with his injury or with us, or?"

"Everything."

"I saw the x-rays; I'm not sure he'll play again. I'm pretty sure he won't, but I wouldn't say that to him. I want to be cautiously optimistic, but it's _so bad. _Nothing's going to happen with us, though. Nothing will change. Well, going out to eat will be a lot easier," Edward said, laughing lightly. "No more worrying about hiding once you're shoved out into the spotlight."

"Not everyone reads those magazines, right?"

"True."

Emma finished and Edward laid his head in my lap, reaching up for her. I ran my fingers through his hair as he set Emma on his chest, patting her back until she burped, then playing with her.

"You're getting so big," he cooed. "Can you please stop growing?"

There was a knock at the door and since we were all tangled up together, I was frustrated. Edward sat up first, but only got partway to standing when the door opened.

"Just us," Esme called out. "Relax."

Even though I was already halfway standing, too, Edward laid back down and look at me expectantly, wanting to resume his previous position. I needed him, too, so we snuggled with his head in my lap and Emma bouncing at hearing Grandma's voice.

"Hey little girl," Esme said once she was in the room with us. She opened her arms and scooped Emma up. "How are you today?"

They carried on an entire conversation, Emma touching and gazing at Esme with wonder.

"Your dad is coming over after he closes up the office. What's the scoop?"

"No real news. Jasper's asleep now, but he talked to his PR guy and I guess they have a plan. He's going to tell us everything after his nap."

"That's good; he needs his rest," she said, bouncing Emma on her hip. "Do you guys need anything? Do you know yet who leaked the story?"

That was a great question, and one I hadn't thought about much. I'd assumed the lady from the restaurant was to blame, but then the paper had so many extra details than just what she could have seen.

"Jasper's PR people said the newspapers won't cite their sources."

"But who knew those things about you?" she asked. "They were pretty detailed in the timeline of you guys falling in love, then moving and everything. Even I didn't know you'd been seeing each other that long…"

My heart sank. There were only two people that would have known the kinds of details printed, but the more I thought about it, only one that knew the details of the move. I picked up my phone and sent a text, then deleted all of Victoria's contact information from my phone.

"What'd you say?" Edward asked.

"I called her a bitch and told her to never speak to me again."

"You were _soooo_ much nicer than I would have been," Esme said.

"I want to take this sweet pea to the park. You guys want to come, or do you need some alone time?"

"I think I just need to be brainless for five minutes; is that okay?" I asked, feeling guilty.

"Of course it is," she said. "We'll walk down there and back, so rest and relax."

"Thanks," I said, standing to hug her. "Let me grab her bag for you."

Once Esme and Emma were gone, I laid down next to Edward; it was awkward and slightly uncomfortable on the tiny couch, but I wanted to be as close as I could. Before I could even think about it, I was asleep.

When they came back from the park — with the addition of Carlisle — I could hear pots and pans in the kitchen. Edward stirred next to me and smiled after opening his eyes.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hi."

"Should we let them know we're awake?"

"No," I whispered. "I just want to be here with you right now. I want Jasper to be better so he can be here, too." My heart ached, the heaviness of everything weighing on me.

"I know. I do, too."

"Something smells good," Jasper said, walking out from the bedroom.

"You're awake!" I said, turning to look at him and almost falling off the couch. Edward climbed over me and helped Jasper walk the rest of the way into the living room.

"I am," he said, smiling. "Time for more meds?"

I laughed, looking at the clock. "Yes, sir. Let's go see what Esme is up to and I'll get you some juice to wash these down."

"Sounds like a plan," Jasper said, walking with Edward into the kitchen. "Hey Mama."

Esme turned from the stove and kissed Jasper's cheek. "How're you feeling? Can I get you anything?"

"I feel like shit, but Bella's a good nurse. Thank you for cooking. Where's my baby?"

"I laid her down for a nap after we went to the park," Esme said, patting his cheek and smiling.

I poured his juice as I shook my head at his suggestion I was doing anything close to being a nurse, then handed him the pills.

"Thank you, sweetness," he said, leaning to kiss my lips carefully. "Shall we sit and all get on board with the plan?"

"Yes, please," I said, anxious to find out what we were going to need to do.

Carlisle was already at the table sipping a cup of tea, so we sat with him, Esme within listening distance.

"I'm going to hold a press conference tomorrow, then I'm going to take an interview on the sports channel. Hopefully that will be the end of it."

"What are you going to say at the press conference?" Edward asked, taking Jasper's hand into his.

"I'm going to say that most of what was printed is true. I have a husband and a wife, and a baby. And I hope to have more babies. I want to live the rest of my life with you guys, and that it isn't some manwhore fling or kinky fuckfest," he said, turning to Esme and Carlisle. "Sorry for the language." He looked embarrassed, then continued. "I don't know anything about my career, and I won't know for several months, but it's grim. Even the doctor said that. We can hope for the best, but the truth is, I'll be lucky to get full use of this leg for walking, much less kicking. Paul said we'll have to wait and see what my sponsors decide. No one has officially backed out, but he said they're definitely nervous."

He seemed to be handling everything so well, and that scared me. I hadn't really seen him upset yet about the almost-certain loss of his career and privacy. Granted, he'd only been home one day and was pretty drugged up, nevermind that we were dealing with the other shoe dropping, but still. I knew it would hit him when this whirlwind ended, and it would be major. I bit my tongue, though, deciding to handle each crisis as it came, and not invite in extra drama.

When dinner was ready, Esme sat at the table and we ate together. It was a typical family dinner — a little bickering, a lot of laughing, and so much love. Emma woke up toward the end of our meal and Carlisle grabbed her since he was finished eating. When we all went into the living room, I could see them snuggled into the couch, but Em was fussing.

"Sorry," Carlisle said. "I lack the proper equipment. I could get her a bottle, though?"

"It's okay."

I sat next to him and Edward and Jasper came into the room right after me, Jasper sitting on my other side. He stroked her head and talked to her while she nursed, and it was sweet to see her looking at him and responding. When she was finished, I handed her over to Jasper.

"I've missed being able to hold you and play with you," he said, setting her on his lap.

We all watched them together, then it was time to say goodbye to Esme and Carlisle.

"Want me to come watch Emma tomorrow?" Esme asked, hugging me tight.

"Yeah, actually, if you can, that'd be great. I want to be there at the press conference with Jasper, and I know Edward does, too."

"See you in the morning, then."

The day started much earlier than I thought it would, with Jasper on the phone to all the people he had to coordinate with. He needed to go to the local television station to do his press conference, and I was shocked at how many reporters were there, although I shouldn't have been. I'd been so close to him, even I hadn't seen just how big of a star Jasper had become. Sure, we'd teased him when he had a billboard downtown, but he was still just _Jasper_ to us. I'd been so blind. He was Whitlock to these people — practically a God, sculpted body and killer eyes.

The room was quiet and Jasper's agent and PR manager walked him up onto the stage. They adjusted a few things, and then Jasper began to speak.

"Hello, everyone," he said, turning on his persona and charm. It was like watching a light switch flip. It was still Jasper, just … different. "As I'm sure you know, I called this press conference today to address some rumors and also to talk about my injury. Some quotes were published across several gossip magazines that require me to clarify a few details about my personal life. Some of the things printed were true, and some were blatant lies. It's true that I'm gay."

He paused and I could almost see the reaction wash over the crowd. People were frantically typing on their phones.

"It's also true that I'm straight. I'm committed to a man and a woman, and together we have a beautiful baby girl. I was sure that by now, this wouldn't even really be on people's radars — that the idea that we love who we love would have been more pervasive by now. I guess not."

Jasper paused again, shaking his head lightly, and I could tell he wasn't really looking at his notes anymore.

"My injury was bad. You know that, but the good news is that I'm taking my healing process one day at a time. It's all I really can do, and I hope that you're still there alongside me while I recover. No one can predict if I'm going to play again, so we'll play it by ear and take each day as it comes. Hopefully I'll be back out there next year. I won't be taking any questions today. Thank you for your time."

He walked off the stage and I could see the dark circles under his eyes. He winced on the stairs and I wanted to run and help. I wanted to be angry at everyone in the room for forcing us into that position, but the truth was, they weren't responsible. If I'd been in their shoes, I'd have wondered, too.

"You did great," I said, kissing Jasper's cheek once he was backstage.

"Really great," Edward echoed, squeezing his hand.

"Now comes the hard part," Jasper said.

Paul led us to a small studio and someone hooked Jasper up to an earpiece and microphone, prepping him for his interview.

"I wish you'd flown to LA," Paul said. "You remember your answers, right?"

"Stop. You know I can barely fucking walk right now," Jasper replied. "I'm not flying anywhere. And yes, I remember my answers."

Jasper's patience was clearly wearing thin, and I silently questioned the scheduling of these two things back-to-back, when his pain was sure to be ramping up.

Paul handed Edward and me a pair of headphones and we listened in as the interview began. Since it was pre-taped, there would be time for edits in case there were slip ups, which I was comforted by.

"So today, we have Jasper Whitlock, major soccer stud, with us for an interview. Welcome, Whitlock."

We couldn't see her, but I recognized the female voice as soon as she began speaking; she was one of the major anchors on the sports channel.

"Thank you, it's great of you to have me on," Jasper said, smiling.

"Well, Whitlock, I'm no stranger to controversy and drama, but this one is huge. The allegations are all over the board with crazy speculation. We know you just got out of the hospital for your injury too, so we'll cover that, but let's get this personal stuff out of the way first. What do you have to say about the rumors going around?"

"I just held a press conference, actually, and so I'll summarize what I said there: I am committed to two people, a man and a woman. Are we legally married? No, of course not, but that doesn't matter to me. I love them both."

"Some of your fans have called for your sponsors to drop you, calling what you're doing immoral," she said. "What do you have to say about that?"

"I understand that for some people, this shatters their image of me. I allowed the media to paint me as a single guy for a long time, but the thing is, if that's what I boil down to for you at the end of the day — who I love, who I've committed my life to — then you aren't the people I thought you were, either. To the family friends that have lied to the media, I'm deeply disappointed in you. To the people that love us no matter what our family looks like, you're the reason I'm doing this. Maybe there are other non-traditional families out there, scared like we were. Maybe this means I'll lose every last sponsor and I'll never play soccer again. I'll always have them, though, and they are more important to me than a temporary career."

"Do you think you'll get back in playing shape?" she asked.

"I don't know yet," Jasper said, shifting in his chair and holding back a grimace. I'm sure to the audience, it just looked like he was uncomfortable, but Edward squeezed my hand, both of us knowing him well enough to see he was in pain and needed to be done with this soon. "We'll just have to see how my bones heal and how physical therapy goes."

"Well, we here wish you the best, Whitlock. We'll miss you on the field, and all of us will be hoping to see you out there again."

"Thank you," Jasper said, his cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink. "I hope to see you out there, too."

A few moments later, everyone was taking their electronics off and taking what felt like our first breath in hours.

"Nice job, Jasper," Paul said. "I'll be in touch."

He shook Jasper's hand, then left. It felt cold and calculated, like Paul didn't actually care about Jasper, and that made me frustrated. He hadn't even really acknowledged Edward and me, and I wondered if that was how things would always be. How much acceptance was Jasper supposed to expect if his own agent wasn't even on board?

"Let's go home," I said, defeated.

We walked to the car in quiet, but once we were outside the building, there was press everywhere. Edward and I flanked Jasper, protecting him and helping him walk through the sea of reporters.

"Is it true you mixed your sperm to make your baby?" a reporter shouted, almost making me laugh.

"Whitlock, are you looking for other people to add to your family?"

"Who's the real father of your daughter?"

The shouting and flashing was too much, and I snapped. I stopped walking and turned around.

"Did you just ask who the _real_ father of our child is?" I asked, venom dripping from every word.

The crowd was quiet, no one owning up to having asked it.

"Fine, you want to be a coward when the questions are turned on you? The real father of our child is both of these men. They change her diapers, they feed her, and most importantly, they love her."

I narrowed my eyes, then turned back to finish the walk to the car. I kept shaking my head and reminding myself it was better not to add fuel to the fire, but I was so damn pissed at everyone. At Jasper for being semi-famous, at myself for loving both of them, at Victoria for being so easily paid off, at the lady from the restaurant, and at the reporters for shouting and jarring me.

When I got into the back seat of the car once Jasper was settled in the passenger's seat, I put my head into my hands and began to cry again. I'd done so much crying over the last few weeks, but I was really at the end of my rope. I could handle a lot, and I'd always considered myself a strong, confident woman, but wasn't it enough already? I knew people were curious and I invited the chance to help educate and explain things to them, but the outright attacks were getting old, and it had only been a few days.

A headline from a different magazine flashed in my head, a riff on the Saturday Night Live skit, _reading It's not gay if it's a threeway? Is Whitlock gay or just a party boy?_

Everything felt relentless. The press, the PR people, even the unsupportive agent.

By the time we got to the house, I'd stopped crying and composed myself enough to face Carlisle and Esme. I knew Emma would make me smile, but I didn't want her to see me so upset. I got out of the car, ready to help Jasper, but instead of taking my arm and allowing himself to lean on me as we walked, he pulled me close to his body, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was broken, weak and sad, and full of regret and unshed tears.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said, and I meant it. "You know I'd endure a thousand questions like that before I'd let either one of you go. It's not your fault or my fault or anything we can control, it's just … reality."

And it was. I knew in my heart that this might have been the first time we'd faced true outside scrutiny of our relationship, but it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"I wish I could make it all better."

His chin tucked against the crook of my neck, his lips brushing my skin as he spoke, and I wished he could, too. I'd have given good money for a magic wand to wave over us, but I also knew that when we came out on the other side of this, we'd be that much stronger. I smiled as I remembered the Chinese proverb Esme had told me the night before: "The toughest steel is forged in the hottest fire."

I wanted to crawl into bed with them, and as soon as Jasper released me, I knew he felt the same. We all needed the comfort and sanctity of our home, our bed, our family.

"How was it?" Esme asked softly, once we were all inside.

"Brutal," Edward said.

"Anything we can do for you?" Carlisle asked.

The three of us just shook our heads and shrugged. "Just be there for us," Jasper said. "We need you guys in our corner."

"Always," Carlisle and Esme both said.

The afternoon was spent having lunch all together, ignoring our cell phones. We turned them off and put them in a basket, opting to play games and laugh, instead. After we'd eaten, Jasper took a nap and Carlisle, Esme, Edward and I played trivia games, then word games. When Jasper woke up, he wanted help to get cleaned up — they'd used product in his hair for TV, and makeup. Edward helped him in the bathroom and I stayed in the living room with Emma and my in-laws.

"Mmm, who wants pizza? Ooey, gooey, cheesy, never-fitting-into-my-pants-again pizza? And a movie?" I asked, when the sun began to set and my stomach rumbled.

They all agreed, and we watched a movie as we ate, intentionally avoiding the news and sports channel. We'd DVR'ed Jasper's segment and I knew we'd watch it later, but this day was ours now.

When Emma went down for the night, Carlisle and Esme left, and I was exhausted, but needed more. There'd been a hum of touching and longer glances throughout the evening, and I looked forward to being naked and loved.

"You just lie there and relax," I told Jasper once he was in bed. "Let us do the work."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I am truly sorry this is a day late. I haven't had a chance to reply to the reviews from last chapter yet (I don't usually read/reply to them until the next chapter is completely written), but I will be working on that this evening and tomorrow, I promise.**

**Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi.**

**Thank you for your reviews and kind words. I appreciate them very much.**

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

* * *

><p>"<em>You just lie there and relax," I told Jasper once he was in bed. "Let us do the work." <em>

Jasper shook his head. "I want to watch," he said, his voice raspy.

I smiled, grabbing Edward and pulling him closer. "We're going to watch you, too."

Jasper was already naked, sitting up in our bed and watching as I took my time getting Edward undressed. With Jasper to the side of us, giving him a full view, I slowly pulled Edward's shirt over his head, then ran my fingers down his chest. Following that with kisses trailing down his chest, I pulled his boxers and pants down, helping him step out of them. Of course I stopped and left a few licks and kisses on his thighs on my way back up.

Edward's hands immediately went beneath my tank top, pulling it off and then throwing it to the side. His mouth covered my nipple and my hands wrapped around his thick cock. When his lips vibrated against my skin, I smiled and sighed, squeezing and stroking him faster.

In an uncharacteristically aggressive move, he turned me around and sat me down on the bench at the end of the bed. I laid back, then scooted up between Jasper's legs. One of my hands moved to the rough hair on the thigh of his non-broken leg, the other cupping my breast. I made sure to position myself so that I wouldn't jostle or bump into Jasper's broken leg.

As Edward moved up my legs, he kissed and pulled the skin between his teeth. By the time he reached the apex of my thighs, I was squirming. I kept trying to stay still, not wanting to shake the bed, but it was so, so good. The build-up, the way he licked me so slowly at the seam of my thigh and my pussy. The way he pushed his pointed tongue deep inside me, letting the rest of his mouth and lips rub and stroke.

He kept me right on that edge, even when I rested on Jasper's leg and ran my fingers through Edward's hair, tugging and pushing and pulling and demanding. Even when I begged, whimpered, and pleaded with him. He would pull back, smirk at me, lips and cheeks wet with _me_, and then continue his torture.

Jasper hummed. "Make her come."

Hearing his words, feeling his fingers in my hair as he stroked and touched me, combined with what Edward was doing, I came hard. I was half convinced Edward would continue to tease me, but his mouth pressed against my clit and slid across it perfectly. My back arched and Jasper's hand left my hair, reaching to tweak my nipple.

What I thought was breastmilk landed on my opposite breast, but when I heard Jasper's noises, I realized he'd come. He'd come all over my breast. And, frankly, it was fucking hot.

It took me a moment to remember to breathe, and by the time I started to sit up and find something to wipe myself with, Edward had already crawled onto me. His eyes were narrow and dark; predatory. He looked at Jasper, at my breast, and then at me. He quickly licked his lips, then reached his tongue out to just below where the come was. In long, measured licks, he cleaned me carefully.

I shivered when I realized what he was doing, and it made me want to come again. I reached down and touched myself. When Edward's lips wrapped around my nipple, his teeth tugging gently and then the vibrations of his moan tingling through my whole breast, I came again.

Even after all that, after I was exhausted beyond exhausted, I wanted him inside me. I wanted Jasper inside me. I wanted us to be whole and together and perfect. We were as together as the three of us could be, though, and that had to be good enough.

"Give it to me," Jasper rasped.

I realized I'd sort of tuned out what they were doing, lost in my thoughts. Edward was sitting up on his knees, cock in hand, stroking himself to orgasm. He got as close as he could to Jasper's mouth, both of them contorting awkwardly, and groaned as he came.

_Fuck._

I shivered again, my body clenching and jealous.

They kissed for a minute, then Edward carefully extracted himself, helping me up and off the bed, too. We brushed our teeth and snuggled with Jasper wedged carefully between us.

Emma woke up in the middle of the night, which was rare for her to do. I rocked her and nursed her, changed her diaper… nothing helped. Most of the night, we rocked and snuggled in the glider. When the sun came up, Edward came into the room.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "She's just been fussy all night. Maybe she's coming down with something?"

Edward immediately found the thermometer and we took her temperature, but she didn't have a high fever — just a little elevated.

"She's probably teething," he said, reaching for her. "What's wrong, little one?"

He kissed her nose and they bounced around the room. She calmed in his arms, and I hated and loved that. I was glad she was finally settling down, but damn, couldn't she have done that hours ago? My eyes closed, and I dozed as they wandered the room. Edward turned her CD of music on and I moved to the couch, spreading out and curling on my side.

The sound of Jasper's crutches woke me up and I sat up.

"Hey, beautiful." He sat next to me on the couch.

"Hi. Shit, what time is it?" I asked, yawning.

"Almost noon. I have to grab some things from the grocery store," he said. "Can you drive me? Emma can stay with Edward."

"Of course. Can I grab a quick shower?"

"Yes ma'am."

His smirk was in full effect and I smiled back at him. My chest felt like it might explode from the happiness and contentment I felt.

"I love you so much. I hope you know that." I leaned closer, kissing him and putting a hand on each side of his face.

"I really do," he whispered against my lips.

"Okay, gimme ten! Wait, fifteen," I said, running to the shower. "Oh, twenty! I need to pump or nurse first!"

"You have plenty of time," he said, lingering in the doorway. "I'm not in a rush."

While I stripped and turned the water on, he watched. He stayed, watching me the entire time I showered, and while I dried off, and then when I got dressed.

"What the fuck are you doing, stalker?" I asked, laughing. I wanted to make sure he knew I was being half serious, half playful.

"I'm watching you; really watching you. You're so fucking amazing. You take care of all of us without complaint, and you manage to still have such a great attitude."

"Well, I think you're fucking amazing too, Jasper Whitlock. Now shall we go find the other two amazing people that live in this house and get this show on the road?"

When I was done pumping, I stocked my milk in the freezer and found the three of them in the kitchen. Emma was in her highchair and Edward was feeding her some cereal.

"Okay, Mommy is going to the grocery store with Daddy!" I said, kissing Edward. I had no idea why Jasper _needed_ to go to the grocery store, but I shook my head. "We'll be back in a bit. You're okay?"

"Of course."

I helped Jasper into the car, then got in and started it, backing out of our giant garage.

"So, Edward's birthday is coming up," Jasper said. Suddenly, it made sense why he wanted me to go with him, instead of Edward.

"Should we throw him a party? It's not for a few weeks," I said, doing some quick math in my head. "We could invite everyone over?"

"Actually, I want to go somewhere far, far away."

I reached over for his hand. "I know you do, but we can't go right now. You get the cast off in a few weeks, then physical therapy. Maybe we can have a trip planned for after you're done?"

"That won't be for a long time. What do you think we should do?"

"Hmm, what if we did a quick day trip? What if we did a whole tourist thing in our own city? We could go to the Space Needle and Pike Place and the aquarium…"

"Stay in a fancy hotel downtown?" he asked, his mouth turning up again.

"Of course," I said, rolling my eyes. "Do you think the press will have died down by then?"

"I fucking hope so," he muttered. "I like that idea. Do you think you can make up a list of places to go and things you think we should see? We can get Esme and Carlisle to watch Emma. I'll take care of the hotel."

"Absolutely."

It felt nice to have something to look forward to.

At the store, we grabbed milk and bread, laughing about nothing and sharing quiet moments. Well, quiet aside from the squeak of his crutches. And the occasional photo taker. Thankfully they were usually people asking Jasper to pose with him — long-time or recent fans. There was one rude man, but we ignored him and he gave up after a few minutes.

Over the next few weeks, Jasper and I worked together to plan the weekend away. I was so nervous about leaving Emma, but she was eating more solid food and taking fewer bottles. We were three months away from when I intended to wean her off bottles completely, so I tried to remind myself of that.

Edward had gone back to work, which was good for him, but bad for me and Jasper. We'd established a new routine and once our third set of hands was gone, we had to figure it out and shift our responsibilities. It was harder to get dinner ready at a reasonable time, and Jasper's cast was almost ready to come off, which meant more doctor visits.

On the Friday we were going to be away for the weekend, I took Jasper to get his cast off. It was scary watching them saw the cast off, and I'm sure Edward had told us, and the doctor repeated it, but I was shocked when I saw how … damaged his leg looked. It was clearly shrunken, and I could tell he'd lost muscle mass. I wished Edward had been there to hear and absorb the medical jargon and reassure us.

Physical therapy would begin the following week, and the doctor was still optimistic. Jasper was completely unsteady on his crutches, his whole walking routine messed up without the cast. I knew we'd need to help him even more than usual over the next few days while he adjusted.

"See?" I said to Jasper in the car. "You'll be back to being Whit on the field in no time."

He smiled, hoping with all hope, I could tell, but not wanting to say it out loud. I'd carry him with my hope, too, I decided. When we got to the house, I put Emma down for her nap and helped him in the shower. The doctor had warned us about the dead skin and smell, so I stripped and got in with him. I was careful to try and not hurt him, but I could tell there were moments that he winced or held his breath. It made me extremely nervous to care for him in this way, but he kept reminding me everything was fine. When he was dried off and dressed, he went out to the living room and I packed up our suitcases. When I was done, I set the luggage by the front door and found Jasper on the couch. I curled against his side.

"Come here," he said, tugging on my shirt.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't."

Jasper pulled me onto his lap and I straddled him. We both had wide grins, and when he started to kiss and touch me, I felt like I was in high school. We were making out on the couch, grinding against each other and being playful. It was fun, and if that was the way the weekend was going to start, I couldn't wait to get to the hotel.

Our touching slowed, needy kisses turning sweet, and I played with the hair on the back of his neck as I pulled back to look at him.

"Excited for this weekend?" I asked.

"Hell yes. You, naked, two days… we may never leave the hotel room."

"So single-minded, dirty boy."

"Just how you like me," he said, winking.

The garage door opened and I startled, shifting my weight on Jasper's legs. He winced, but swore he was okay, just surprised.

"Well hello there," Edward said, smiling at us.

"Hey you," I said, smiling back. "How was work?"

"Exhausting. What's with the suitcases?"

The doorbell rang just then, and since he was closest, Edward opened it.

"Hi Mom," he said, reaching to give her a hug. "Dad."

"We're going downtown. Happy birthday," I said, standing and wrapping my arms around him.

"Seriously?" he asked, laughing. His face lit up, and I was even more excited about the weekend.

"Yep. All Jasper's idea."

I watched them embrace, then kiss, and I almost had to clear my throat; Edward's parents were standing right there, after all.

"Come on, boys. Let's load up the car and go! We have a dinner reservation and I need to change, and do my makeup."

Emma was up from her nap and I held her close, rocking back and forth as I worried about the weekend.

"You promise you'll call if anything goes wrong?"

"Of course," Esme said. "I did do this with Edward, you know… and just a few months ago with Emma."

"I know. I trust you. I'm just nervous."

"It'll be fine, Bella," Esme said. "Just go enjoy your weekend. Enjoy not having to nurse anyone, or meet anyone's needs but your own."

"Thank you for this," I said, handing Emma to Carlisle and hugging Esme.

I walked out and closed the door behind me, exhaling and trying to let go of my worry. Who was I really kidding, though? I'd be worried all weekend.

Edward drove, and Jasper sat in the front passenger seat, with me in the back. When we got to the hotel and pulled up to valet, I jumped out to help Jasper. Edward was on his other side, and I could tell we were getting eyed from several people. When we checked in, I had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing at the fact that Jasper had booked the honeymoon suite — and the front desk clerk clearly knew who he was. And was hitting on him.

"Shall I send complementary strawberries and champagne up to the room, Mister Whitlock?" he asked.

"That would be lovely. Thank you."

"My pleasure."

I turned toward Edward, hiding my giggle in his chest. That guy was too much, and I teased Jasper the entire elevator ride up to the room about the way he'd said _my pleasure._ When we were inside, I unpacked my dress and lingerie, then went to the bathroom to do my hair and makeup after a quick shower. I knew they were changing, too, but it took them about a tenth of the time to get ready.

Wrapped in my towel, I wandered out and began picking up the small scraps of purple satin and black lace, putting them on.

"Do you have to get dressed?" Edward asked. "Can't we skip dinner?"

"No way! This is your birthday dinner. No skipping. Plenty of time for being naked later, promise."

I smiled, adjusting my boobs in my bra and grabbing my dress from the closet where I'd hung it.

"Zip me?" I asked, turning to Jasper.

He placed a kiss at the base of my neck, then pulled the zipper carefully up to the top.

"I look forward to undoing that in a few hours."

"Me too," I said quietly.

We walked to the restaurant, the three of us holding hands. One of the best things that happened after we were outted was that we didn't bother to hide. Not everyone knew — who Jasper was, or that we were all together — but we no longer worried as much. A few people had left Edward and Carlisle's practice, but not enough to count… and a surprising number of new patients flooded the offices.

"We have a reservation," I said to the hostess, smiling. "For Whitlock-Cullen."

She smiled back, her eyes moving to our linked hands briefly. "I have you right here. Follow me."

"That reminds me," Edward said once we were seated. He turned toward Jasper, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Gonna change your name now?"

We laughed, but I knew Edward was being serious. So did Jasper.

"It might be time," he said. "Maybe that could be another part of your birthday gift."

The subject was dropped for the moment, a hum of excitement threading through all of us at the thought. We would all finally be the same. A real family, complete with matching last names. All we needed was a minivan and more kids. That thought made me smile even wider.

We shared a bottle of wine, then a second bottle when the first was empty, and by the time we made it back to the room, there was a lot of touching and kissing. I needed to pump before I got too far ahead of myself; my breasts were already sore.

Jasper unzipped me, and I made my way to the corner of the room where I could plug the pump in. They were on the bed, fancy clothes still on as they made out. Edward laid on the side of Jasper's good leg, and I loved watching them touch each other. When I was almost finished, I picked up my phone and quickly texted Esme to ask if things were still going okay. She texted me right back, thankfully, and I felt better, ready to try and let go of the mom guilt of leaving Emma.

I slipped my dress the rest of the way off and hung it back up, then walked to the bed. I'd learned to appreciate how my new body had curves, and when they turned their heads, I knew I looked sexy. I felt sexy.

They pulled me onto the huge bed with them, and I laughed. It didn't take long before I was more turned on than ever, hands and mouths roaming.

"I want to watch you two," I said, sitting back a bit.

Jasper and I were home together so much we had more time to be intimate. I missed watching them and seeing how they worked together, and I knew Jasper missed Edward and the closeness they shared. Everything had been awkward, and although they certainly couldn't have acrobatic sex, they could be sweet together and love each other.

Edward reached for our bag stashed on the nightstand, and pulled out a condom and bottle of lube.

"You okay?" he asked, straddling Jasper's pelvis.

"Yeah." Jasper's voice as thick and heady, matching Edward's, and I knew I'd made the right choice. I smiled.

Edward rolled the condom onto Jasper's cock at the same time Jasper grabbed Edward's hips, pulling him forward. Jasper grabbed the bottle of lube and when Edward bent to kiss him, I could see Jasper's fingers. He played with the divot between Edward's cheeks, pushing in and pulling out slowly. Each movement was careful and measured, and my breathing increased with both of theirs.

When Edward sat back up, he left his palms on Jasper's chest. "You'll stop me if you're in pain?"

Jasper nodded, and Edward positioned himself, sinking down slowly. He would lift up, then sink further, repeating the same motion several times. Once he was completely filled by Jasper, they started moving together. It was noisy, the sound of their skin slapping as Jasper thrust up and Edward sank back down. Small words were clipped together and shared, but the best part was watching them watch each other. The way they looked at each other with such love — knowing I was part of that, too — it was amazing.

I moved closer, my hands and mouth joining in the fun, and Jasper came shortly after. Edward sat to the side of him on the bed, and Jasper pulled my hips over his face. I squealed and made sure he could breath, then leaned forward and took Edward in my mouth as Jasper went down on me. It was an awkward angle, not entirely comfortable, but Jasper's mouth and Edward's cock quickly made me forget any discomfort.

After my second orgasm, Edward came, and I swallowed quickly. I wanted to collapse and close my eyes, but I got up instead, peeing and brushing my teeth as they did the same. It was hilarious to watch Jasper use his crutches nude, and I couldn't help but giggle as we walked back to the bed.

"Thank you," Edward said quietly when we were tucked in.

"Happy almost birthday. I'm exhausted," I said. "I don't think I've been up this late since before Em was born."

"Rest up, gorgeous," Edward said. "We have all day tomorrow to get through."

Jasper was on one edge, Edward in the middle, and I sighed a deep, happy sigh. My fingers laced with Edward's and Jasper's rested on top. We were so close it was almost uncomfortable, but I knew we'd separate while we slept, and I wanted to fall asleep as connected to them as I'd felt that whole night.

The next morning, I woke up and Jasper was out of bed. I was surprised Edward was still asleep and that Jasper had managed to leave the room without waking us with the crutches. I threw on my robe and went to investigate. He was on the couch in the sitting area, coffee cup in hand, watching sports.

I flopped on the couch next to him and poured myself a cup of coffee.

"Do you miss it?"

"Every second of every day."

We were quiet, then. I didn't want to say anything trite to downplay how he felt. I couldn't imagine losing my whole identity, but then, I'd never really felt like I'd found my identity yet. I'd thought I was meant to be a lawyer, but that didn't work out exactly how I wanted. I loved being a mom and wife, but there still felt like something was missing. It wasn't as if I felt like I was wasting my life away, I just wasn't quite sure I was fulfilled. We'd talked about having more babies, and discussed that I'd stop taking my birth control pill in a few weeks. Jasper wanted to get a little more physical therapy finished and I agreed with that. I had to admit the idea of another small person around excited me, though.

Jasper yawned and I moved to the end of the couch, grabbing his shoulders and resting his head down in my lap, allowing his foot to be elevated on the other end of the couch. My fingers ran through his short hair, twisting the curls and playing.

"Should we order breakfast?"

"Probably. What are you in the mood for?"

"Pancakes. And bacon."

"That sounds good. What do you think Edward wants?"

"Hmm. Depends. If he's being Healthy Edward, oatmeal. He's probably in Vacation Edward mode, though, so maybe bacon and eggs?"

I reached for the book that had the room service menu in it and we looked at it together, deciding on a random selection of things. After I'd ordered, I asked the woman I was talking to to please note that they should knock quietly; I wanted Edward to get as much sleep as he could.

Jasper and I went back to our easy silence, and before too long, there was a soft knock on the door. Jasper stood and tipped the room service person after he'd laid out all the food — easily enough food for six people. I had to laugh, but couldn't wait to dig in.

"Something smells amazing," Edward said, walking out of the bedroom.

"Happy birthday!" Jasper and I said in unison.

Edward smiled and laughed, his cheeks turning pink. "Thank you."

We sat around the table, grabbing little bits from each plate.

"Space Needle today?" Edward asked.

"Sure," I said, turning to Jasper. "Are you feeling up to Pike Place after that?"

"I think so," he said. "Let's see how the day goes."

We weren't in a hurry, so we showered slowly. Jasper leaned on us, and we all helped wash each other. It wasn't sexual, but another moment of connection and caring. We got dressed and headed out. It had been years since I'd been to the Space Needle, so it was a fun visit. Edward was constantly in amazement, wandering the observation deck and talking about the history.

When we were ready to go, Jasper still felt fine, so we headed to the market and wandered. We grabbed a bite to eat and sat for a bit, relaxing and soaking in each other's company without the everyday stresses looming.

"Good birthday?"

"The best," he said, smiling. "Truly."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi, for being amazing. **

**I'm all caught up on review replies; thank you for your patience! **** I'm so tickled every time I read your reviews. They truly make my week. I appreciate when you leave me little nuggets of love.**

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

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><p>"<em>Good birthday?"<em>

"_The best," he said, smiling. "Truly."_

I leaned over and kissed him slowly, then did the same to Jasper. It was the lightest and happiest I'd felt in months.

"What time do we have to be back?" Edward asked, his hand slipping over my knee and skimming up to my thigh.

"Not until tomorrow morning," I said, smiling. "Ready to go back to the hotel?"

"More than ready."

We helped Jasper and made our way to the safety and privacy of the room, picking up where we'd left off. Our intimacy was quiet and slow. Long after it had become dark outside, we touched and stroked and kissed. We loved each other for hours.

By the time the sun came back up, I'd dozed on and off, but hadn't gotten much solid sleep. It had been the same for Edward and Jasper, though we seemed to be taking turns waking up, kissing and talking quietly, then falling back to sleep in weird shifts. Jasper was in more pain than usual, probably due to our antics, and had to take an extra pain killer in the morning. I felt terrible, feeling as if we'd contributed and caused the pain.

Of course, as Edward drove us back home, my lack of sleep exacerbated my sense of responsibility and I found myself wiping away tears. By the time we pulled in to the driveway, I'd mostly composed myself, but also decided that I needed to take a nap when Emma did. Jasper had been quiet on the drive, and when I got out to help him, I could see through the window that he'd fallen asleep. I smiled, glad I wasn't the only exhausted one.

"Should I wake him?" I asked Edward quietly when he walked up behind me.

"Yeah. Let's get him to bed. He'll be much more comfortable there."

"Hey sweetie," I said, reaching out to touch Jasper's hand. My fingers skimmed up and down, trying to rouse him gently. That didn't work, so I nudged his shoulder. "Wake up, sleepyhead. We need to get you into a real bed."

Jasper made a noise and stretched. "Sorry."

He swung his body around and grabbed the crutches from me, balancing between Edward and me. Esme, Carlisle, and Emma were waiting inside to greet us, and I was so glad. Not only had I really missed my sweet girl, but my boobs were also really sore since I hadn't wanted to pump too close to when we got back. I wanted to nurse her first thing and reconnect, watching her.

"Thank you for watching her for us," I said, taking her from them. I turned to Edward. "You can get Jasper to bed?"

He nodded and I gave Carlisle and Esme a quick kiss, escaping to the nursery. Several minutes later, Edward came in with a glass of water and a snack, putting them on the table and sitting on the couch. I propped my foot up next to him, using the leverage to rock the glider as Emma finished.

"Jasper resting?" I asked.

"Yeah. Wanna lay down while Emma sleeps?" he asked, yawning. "I'm beat."

"I really, really do," I said with a laugh. "This weekend was worth it, but exhausting."

"And you have a busy week coming up with Jasper starting PT, and that dinner on Thursday."

I'd forgotten all about Jeff, Jasper's best friend from the team coming over for dinner. He was going to bring his wife Karen and their three kids — the thought terrified and comforted me. It was nice that Jasper had friends still supporting him, but I had no idea what to cook, or how to act in front of them. She was a polished soccer star wife. I was dowdy, still had baby fat, and, well, had two husbands. I switched Emma from one side to the other and tried to think about if I knew any other openly out soccer players. I could think of a few I knew about, but I didn't know if they were _out_ out. I'd have to ask Jasper.

"You're going to be home early, right?"

"Yep," Edward said, smiling. "I asked the receptionist to stop my appointments at one, so I should be home by two-thirty at the latest."

"Perfect. Thank you."

I smiled and moved my foot to rest on his leg. He picked it up and rubbed it, which immediately made me close my eyes and relax.

"It's going to be hard to watch Jasper, you know?" Edward said. "I want you to be prepared."

I opened my eyes. "Hmm?"

"In physical therapy. It's going to hurt, and it's going to make him angry. He's so shut down right now, I don't know really what to expect, but we should expect something."

I nodded. "Do you think he would go talk to someone?"

Edward snorted. "No. He thinks he's fine."

"What can we do?" I asked. My heart was twisted in knots.

"We can be here for him. We can love him and not let go."

{.}

Edward hadn't been kidding — watching Jasper work in physical therapy was terrible. Even though it was just slow stretching and movement, I could see how much pain he was in. After the appointment, we went home and iced his leg as he rested. He took more pain meds, and I didn't blame him. His face was tight, his expression stretched with the strain of holding back so many things.

The rest of the week was no better. After every session of therapy, he would grimace and be grouchy, not saying much in the car. We'd go home and he'd ice his leg, take a few pills and pass out. I was so worried about him taking too many pills, or slipping further down the rabbit hole he seemed to be buried in. I tried to talk to him about how things were going, but he was mostly silent, distracting me or changing the subject.

"Edward, do you think we should be worried about how many pills Jasper's taking?" I'd asked that night while Jasper was in the living room.

"No, I don't think so. He's not through the bottle yet, and he's in a substantial amount of pain still."

"I know," I said, shifting awkwardly. "It just feels like it's a lot."

"Don't worry, sweets," he said, kissing my forehead. "I promise, I'm not monitoring it or anything, but it's on my mind, too. It's not something to worry about."

The bright spot of the week was dinner on Thursday. It had been light and easy, and far more fun than I'd expected. Jasper loosened up around his friend, and they talked shop, gossiping like girls about what was going on with the other players. Their kids were well-behaved, and I was glad Emma could sit in her high chair and join us, too.

"Everyone misses you," Jeff said, looking at Jasper with such genuineness it hurt.

"Hopefully I'll be back soon," Jasper said, his familiar tight smile settling back on his face.

There were several beats of awkward silence, and I could tell neither guy really knew what to say to the other.

"How about some chocolate tart?" I asked, trying to change the topic.

It worked, and we all dove in to dessert, the room falling into the quiet symphony of silverware. When their family left, we cleaned up the kitchen, washing dishes and serving platters. Jasper even helped, saying he was tired of sitting.

"It was nice to see Jeff and his family. Do you think they had fun?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jasper said. "We should invite Emmett, Rose, and the kids over, maybe for a movie night?"

"Yes! Perfect," I said. "I'll get popcorn and candy."

"I'd like that," Jasper said. "Sound okay to you?" he asked Edward.

"Whatever you want," Edward said, smiling and kissing him.

"Whatever I want, huh?" Jasper asked, pulling him closer. "What if I want you on your knees?"

Edward's grin grew as he moved to his knees. I leaned against the sink, watching. Jasper unbuckled his belt then jeans, dropping them both to the floor. Edward pulled Jasper's boxers down, then wrapped his fingers around his cock, stroking him.

"Whatever you want," Edward repeated, his voice low, provoking Jasper.

"Put my cock in your mouth."

Even while wrapped around Jasper, I could see Edward's lips turned up in a smile. I liked it when they got demanding of each other. It was interesting to watch. Well, and sexy. Jasper's balance faltered so I moved behind him. I put my arms beneath his and let him lean back against me as I played with his nipples.

"I love you," I whispered in his ear, then kissed his neck, just below his earlobe.

Edward looked up at us and it wasn't much longer until Jasper was coming. I could see Edward's hands — one wrapped around Jasper's thigh, pulling him closer, and the other disappearing between his legs. When Jasper finished, Edward reached out and touched my leg quickly, making me smile. He stood up, squishing Jasper between us as we all embraced.

"Ready for bed?" I asked.

We made our way to the comfort of our bedroom. Before I fell asleep, I texted Alice to ask if they wanted to come over for movies on Saturday. She called me the next afternoon during her lunch break.

"Movie night sounds fun, the kids will have a blast. I wanted to talk to you first, though," she said. "How are you doing?"

"I'm hanging in there, I think." It was I felt like I was on a roller coaster, waiting for the dips and stomach drops, letting the highs make me smile and fly. I didn't want to say the words out loud, though, or dare to ask for help. I knew they were already so busy, two kids, all of them working.

"How's Jasper?" she asked.

"Ugh. He has good days and bad, you know?"

"I can imagine," she said. Her voice softened. "I saw the article."

The line went quiet, and I wasn't sure what to say. I had sort of assumed she'd seen the article — it felt like everyone had.

"Yeah," I said quietly, dragging out the word, unsure what else to say.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that I talked to the head of the group, and Victoria was asked to never attend any events again, and kicked off the email list."

"What?" I was confused. How had Alice made the connection? I'd decided not to make waves with the group since I didn't have empirical evidence.

"There were only two people you talked to at the first meeting that I knew you kept in touch with, and who knew your real names." Alice's voice was quiet and sad. "And I feel bad. I trusted Victoria, too. I'm sorry."

Neither of us spoke for a moment. I wasn't sure why Alice was so upset, but I wanted to listen to her and hear her out. Had she sold information to the paper, too? Jesus. My anxiety level crept up.

"It's okay," I said. "Whatever it is. Why are you sorry?"

"I just can't imagine if that was my family," she whisper-sobbed. "And I feel so guilty that I'm relieved it wasn't me."

"Oh, Alice. You shouldn't feel guilty. We'll be fine. Your family depends on secrecy, and I really understand that now. I'd never violate your privacy, I hope you know that."

"Of course I do," she squeaked. "I wish I could kick Victoria's ass for all the drama she's caused you guys. Aside from a quick buck, I don't know why she did that to you."

"I don't know either," I said, sighing. "I've spent so much time thinking about it, trying to figure out why she'd do it. I mean, she outted herself, too, right? Maybe she doesn't care. Maybe she's too young to understand the implications of what she did."

"I suspected after you left, when she wouldn't stop talking about Jasper, that she had ulterior motives. I should have warned you."

"It's not your job to tattle on her. She made her own choices, you know? She might have just been bragging and then if you had told me about it, it might have caused unnecessary drama."

"But then all of this wouldn't have happened," Alice said.

"You never know," I said. "Besides, now I can walk around town and breathe easy if I slip up and kiss them both, or hold both their hands."

We laughed, and it felt nice to have my friend back. Once I thought about it, it made sense why she'd been so distant the last few weeks.

"I'm glad you're coming over tomorrow," I said, smiling. "I can't wait to give you a hug."

"Hell yes," she said. "And popcorn. See you tomorrow."

I walked to where Jasper was in the living room and plopped on the couch next to him.

"Have I told you lately how happy you make me?"

He looked down at me, a smile spread across his face. "Nope."

"Well, you do. You and Edward and Emma. I'm so lucky."

"Us too," he said, taking my hand in his and squeezing.

Friday's afternoon physical therapy appointment was especially grueling, and I worried about the weekend. When we got home, he went straight to the bedroom, closing the door behind him — something I couldn't recall him ever doing. I hoped Jasper would be less grumpy by the next day, but things didn't look promising.

After a few minutes, I knocked softly on the bedroom door. "Sweetheart? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice rough.

It felt weird to be talking to him through the barrier, but I wanted to give him space if he needed it. "Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Okay, well, I'm just going to start dinner. If you need me, I'm here."

The lack of a response made me want to kick the door down and lecture him. I felt pulled taut between cleaning, cooking, playgroups and playdates, physical therapy, and now my husband in near-constant pain… and I needed to plan for Emma's first birthday in a few months. While I waited for the water to boil for the pasta, Emma safely in her Johnny Jump Up in the doorway, I slid down to the ground. I kept my head on my bent knees, eyes turned to watch Emma.

She bounced, smiling and laughing, and reminded me of all the reasons I had to smile. My knee was soaked with tears by the time I stood up. Jasper hadn't come out of the bedroom, and I was still worried, but I had dinner to make, a diaper to change, and there were several loads of laundry waiting to be folded and put away. I busied myself until Edward got home.

"Where's Jasper?" he asked, finding me in the kitchen.

"Bedroom," I sighed.

"Everything okay?"

He wrapped his arms around me and I tried not to think about the way his clothes looked on him. Or how good he smelled. Or how much I wanted to lose myself in him and forget about everything but just how good he could make me feel.

Of course, then I was reminded of how good they _both_made me feel, and I started to cry again.

"No, it's really not. I can see him slipping away. I can almost feel it, like part of me is being torn to shreds."

"He's going to be okay," Edward said, rubbing my back.

"I don't know if that's true anymore."

"It has to be," he said. "It just has to be."

We stood for several quiet moments, and I tried to let his faith sink in to me.

"You want to get him, or shall I?"I finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Let me say hello to Emma and carry her in there with me."

He gave me a soft, sweet kiss, then walked to Emma. "Ready to go wake Daddy up?"

She squealed and they made their way out of the kitchen and down the hall. In the quiet of the kitchen, I fixed our dinner plates, then opened a bottle of wine and poured three glasses. After I'd made sure everything was at the table, they still weren't there, so I crept toward the bedroom. From where I was, I could peek without being seen. They had Em between them on the bed, each man up on his side, talking.

"You know, you're only going to get better if you try," Edward said. There wasn't judgment in his tone, but encouragement.

"I _am_ trying, Edward. It's fucking painful."

"I know it is. I _know_."

Emma's hands ran up and down Jasper's cheeks feeling the stubble there. When he kissed her tiny fingers, I couldn't help but smile.

"You're going to have bad weeks, Jazz. You have to learn to lean on us. We have to make it through this together. We love you, all three of us, and we need you. We need you, too. Come on, let's go have dinner with the most gorgeous woman ever, and the cutest baby. Then maybe we can make you feel better after this little monkey is in bed."

Edward leaned down and blew on her belly, making her laugh. It was the most amazing sound in the whole world.

"She is pretty cute," Jasper agreed, attacking her round belly from the other side.

I walked back to the kitchen. They were wrapping up their conversation and I didn't want to get caught eavesdropping, even though it was innocent. I felt better, though. I had hope. Maybe Edward was right.

Saturday was a lazy morning. Edward and Jasper took Emma to the park and I got to sleep in, which I was so thankful for. When I got up and saw their note, I decided to start making food for movie night. When they got back, Emma was ready for lunch and naptime. I was glad she went down easily for them, clearly having been worn out.

They came into the kitchen and we worked together. It was a nice reminder of the way we'd functioned in the past — each of us taking on a task and working together.

"You guys have fun at the park?" I asked.

"I can't believe she giggles so much now," Jasper said. "It's going by too fast. I'm looking forward to having another one."

I paused where I was standing, smiling. "Me too," I said, turning to look at them.

Suddenly, making snacks was forgotten. "Wanna practice?" Edward asked, obviously struggling to maintain a casual tone.

When Alice, Rose, Emmett, Sadie, and Avery showed up, half the food was still uncooked. Alice and Rose helped me in the kitchen while the guys took the kids into the living room and put on a movie.

"Should we make popcorn?" I asked.

"Yeah, but make a ton," Rose said. "Everyone in our house will devour it."

As I walked to the pantry, I looked over at Alice. "You okay? You look a little … green."

"Yep," she said, smiling.

"Something you want to tell me?" I asked, playfully bumping her hip with mine as I walked by.

Her grin grew, and when I reached to hug her, we squealed and laughed. "Congratulations," I said. "I'm so happy for you."

I knew she'd wanted to get pregnant, and I loved how happy they were. The minute I let go of Alice, Rose was right there, arms around her from behind, kissing her neck and rubbing her still-flat belly. I was envious, too.

"How far along are you?"

"Sixteen weeks."

"Almost halfway! You're still so tiny," I said. "Bitch."

"Just wait," Alice said. "I'll be waddling before you know it."

"You'll still be sexy," Rose said, burrowing into her neck again.

I laughed and turned back to the pantry to find the popcorn, blushing. When we'd finished up, we went to the living room with the bowl of popcorn and a few plates of other snacks, finding spots on the couches with the men.

"Ratatouille next?" Jasper asked the girls when the movie finished.

"Yeah!" they said.

We took a break to eat dinner, but watched another movie after. The kids fell asleep in the living room, tucked into sleeping bags they'd brought, so the grown-ups went to the kitchen to sit around the table, talk, and play cards.

"Still corrupting young minds?" Edward asked Emmett, and the table burst into laughter.

"Yep," he said, smiling. "How's the practice?"

"Really good," Edward said, dealing the cards.

"How's the leg, Jasper?" Emmett asked.

"Coming along," Jasper said. "We'll see what happens in physical therapy."

"Can't wait to go to your first game back," Emmett said.

"Me either," Jasper said. "Much more of this lying around and I'm going to get all fat and gross."

"Pretty sure that's not possible, genetic freak," I teased.

The night stretched out with playful banter, dirty jokes, and friendship. At some point, I could tell Jasper's leg began to bother him, though, and he got up to take some pills.

"Maybe we call it a night soon?" I asked, yawning and stretching.

"We should probably round up the kids and go," Rose said. "I don't even know how Alice is still awake."

"I won't be for much longer," Alice said, droopy smile widening.

"Thanks for coming over," I said, hugging everyone. "We'll have to do this again soon."

When it was quiet and I laid in bed, my hands drifted to my own belly. I wasn't back in pre-pregnancy shape yet, but that didn't really matter. Was it the right time? Was there ever a right time?

The following week, Jasper began doing his physical therapy in a pool. I was glad they decided to switch it up, hopeful it might hurt less. Unfortunately, he was just as shut down when we got home on Monday as ever. By Friday, I didn't know what to do with myself. Edward had been working late, plus it was his week to be on-call, so he'd gotten woken up several times, and it seemed like Emma was constantly going through a growth spurt. Her normal routine changed every day, and what she needed from me seemed to vacillate just as much.

I finally snapped in the car, on the way home from Jasper's PT Friday afternoon. "Are you going to talk to me?"

"There's nothing to talk about," he said.

"That's not true. Tell me what's going on. Tell me why you're so quiet lately."

He shifted in his seat, and when I glanced at him quickly, he looked irritated.

"It really fucking hurts, Bella. What more do you want me to say? I hate that you have to drive me everywhere. I hate that when we get home, I'll have to ice my leg and be an invalid. I hate that it hurts and makes me angry. I don't want to be that asshole that takes it out on everyone around him."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked quietly.

"Aren't you already doing enough?"

_Agh. _

I felt helpless. I reminded myself that soon, Jasper would be better. His leg would heal and he'd be back to being self-sufficient. He wouldn't be in as much pain. He would be my Jasper again.

It was no comfort in the following weeks, though. Things crept from bad to worse, and it was a slow crawl. A painful crawl. Jasper stopped shaving. He stopped going to the grocery store with me. He stopped saying much of anything to any of us, unless it was absolutely necessary. He never watched the sports channel anymore.

"We have to do something," I said to Edward one night, in the quiet of the bathroom. "He's just … slipping further away."

"Bella, Jasper has to find his way through this. He had a career-ending injury. His bone literally snapped in half."

We were looking at each other in the huge bathroom mirror.

"What do you mean, career-ending?"

"I mean exactly what it sounds like," Edward said, shaking his head and furrowing his eyebrows at me.

"He keeps saying he thinks he'll play again, though."

I didn't understand. All this time, I'd thought things were looking up.

"Yes, but that's part of the problem. Don't you remember when he was first injured and we talked about this?"

Thanks to some massive powers of denial, I'd forgotten.

"He's not going to play again," Edward said, certain. "He's still having trouble just walking. I talked to his ortho the other day. It's just … it's not going to happen. Once he can walk again, he can learn to run, but it won't be the same. He still hasn't talked to Coach about it, but I'm sure he's figured it out. I think over the last few weeks, Jasper has really had to come to grips with the fact that he won't play again. I can't imagine. You have to let him be sad about that."

I couldn't imagine, either. I felt like my dreams had been crushed by Edward and I wasn't even the one that had been injured.

"We need to talk," I said. "I can't live like this. I can't watch him in so much pain every day. We can help. We can fix it."

Edward turned to face me. "Bella, you can't fix this for him. You can help him, but you can't fix it, sweetheart. He has to find his strength, lean on us, and get through it. If he doesn't, it's a hollow victory for him."

"But he's not even leaning on us."

Edward wiped tears from my cheeks. "He is, just not as much as you'd like, or maybe not as much as he needs. I agree we all need to talk about it, but ambushing him isn't the right way."

I pushed my arms around Edward's waist and pulled him close. "When, then?"

"I don't know," Edward said, blowing out a sigh.

Everything looked so different after that conversation. I tried to have more patience with Jasper. When he told me he needed to have lunch with Coach, I offered to make dinner and have him over, with his wife.

"No," Jasper said, taking my hand in his. "I need to have this conversation alone with him. Thank you, though."

As much as I'd willed things with his leg to be different, they weren't. I was sure Jasper felt the same way. We couldn't think or wish or pray or hope an injury like his away. He had to face the reality of it and accept that his life was on a different path now; the fact that he was apparently ready to talk to his coach seemed like a good sign to me.

"I love you," I said, squeezing his hand. "I will always love you, soccer star, handsome, sexy dad, or whatever or whoever you are."

"I know," he whispered.

He leaned his body into mine and I wrapped my arms around him. It was the small moments like that where I found peace.

The days leading up to his lunch were brutal though, and he slipped away even more. He began to lose weight. He looked pale and sick. He stopped going to the park with us. I kept reminding myself to hang on, just be patient and things would get better soon.

He had lunch with Coach Stanley on Tuesday — Coach had driven to the PT building and picked him up since he still couldn't drive. I was nervous the whole time he was gone. I took Emma to the store, talking to her the entire time. We normally had little conversations as we did things, but my babble was non-stop. I almost forgot to buckle my seatbelt when I got back in the car. My eyes and heart felt glued to the clock, counting the minutes until he was back.

Hours later, I heard the front door and rushed over.

"I'm so glad you're back," I said, pulling him into my arms and squeezing.

He stood there, frozen. Quiet.

"Can I do anything for you?"

"No," he said. His voice was just a wisp of sound. Sad. Heavy. "I'm going to go lay down."

His beard scratched against my cheek as he kissed me, then walked away. He was still there when Edward got home. I was talking to Emma in her high chair, feeding her squished peas.

"How'd it go?" Edward asked, kissing me quickly.

"I don't know. He didn't say anything."

"Did he call his agent, too?"

"I don't know," I said, trying to keep the frustration and irritation out of my voice.

I could feel it welling up again. All of the uncertainty was making me insane. If I felt so nervous and anxious about everything, how did Jasper feel? Did he have any idea of what he wanted to do next?

Everything and everyone felt so disconnected. Edward was busy, Jasper was clearly lost in his grief, and I was being the best mom I could be, but I felt like I was just letting everyone and everything down. There were never enough hours in the day, and I wanted so desperately to fix everything. I wanted Edward to have a successful practice, but somehow work less. I wanted Jasper to find another passion to pursue, even though I had no idea what that was, and he probably didn't either.

At Emma's first birthday party barbecue, it felt like everyone in both our families — and all of our friends — came up to ask if I was feeling okay.

"Girl's lunch tomorrow," Esme said, not taking my previous no for an answer. She'd cornered me in the kitchen when I went in to grab more napkins. "You need to talk, and I need to listen."

"I have to bring Em," I said.

"No you don't. Jasper's her dad and he's perfectly capable of actually being her dad."

I'd never seen Esme so stern with me. She was frustrated and I worried I'd done something to upset her, or worse, disappoint her.

"Okay."

"I'll pick you up at eleven-thirty," she said, turning and walking away.

Shit. Shit. Shit.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: As usual, I owe an ever-growing debt of gratitude to my beta, TwilightMundi. **

**Thank you for your reviews last chapter, even when FFn was being fail and made it impossible, you came back and reviewed later. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.**

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. The remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

* * *

><p><em>Shit. Shit. Shit.<em>

For the next few hours, I worried about what I'd done. Or said. Or both.

"You okay, kid?" Charlie's voice startled me as I washed dishes.

"Yeah, Dad, it's just … stressful around here lately."

"You need me to kick some ass?"

I laughed. Charlie hardly ever swore, so it was hilarious to hear the foreign words from his mouth.

"No," I said, sighing. "It'll all work out."

"Is this about that article?"

My eyes shot up to his. "You saw that?"

"Hell, everyone on the planet's seen it by now. How's Jasper handling the press?"

"Okay. He's more upset lately over his leg."

"He gonna play again?"

"I don't know," I practically whispered. I didn't really feel like it was my place to tell anyone what Edward and I had talked about.

"It'll be okay, either way."

"It will," I said. "You getting any backlash I need to kick some asses about?"

He laughed. "Naw. It's a small town. People talk, but they know better than to talk to much, or say the wrong thing to me. They all see how proud I am of you three. Hell, I've had your wedding picture hanging in my office all this time. No one has dared to say a word about it."

"You have?" I asked. "The picture, I mean?"

It was so touching, imagining the picture there… and all this time, I had no idea.

"Sure have."

"That's really sweet, Dad."

"Like I said, I'm proud of you."

I wiped my hands on the dishtowel and hugged him tight.

"I'm here if you need me," he said, squeezing me.

"Thank you."

"Now where's that cake I keep hearing about?"

We brought Emma's small cake and set it on her high chair, slicing up and passing out the larger cake meant for everyone else.

"Go ahead, sweets, dive in," Edward said, taking her hand and encouraging her to scoop bites into her mouth.

Jasper was on the other side and I was behind the camera, snapping picture after picture of them helping her make an epic cake mess. By the time it was over, they were all covered in frosting. I kissed Jasper first, taking a swipe at a streak of buttercream on his chin. He laughed and pulled me closer, but quickly remembered that our family was all around us.

"Later," I said, looking into his eyes.

Edward walked over and stood with his chin on my shoulder as we flipped through the pictures I'd taken. I was glad when everyone left, desperate for time to myself. I was surprised when I'd gotten the high chair wiped down and back into the kitchen, that Jasper was nowhere to be found. Edward helped me get Emma undressed, and we went into the bedroom to find Jasper already in the shower.

"That's weird," I said. "Guess he wanted to be alone?"

Edward shrugged and took Emma. "Come on, little one. Shall we go get in the tub?"

When they left, I was standing alone in the bedroom, debating what to do. I could help Edward with Emma, but he really didn't need any. The shower turned off, and I could hear Jasper and Edward talking in the bathroom, which I wasn't sure I wanted to be part of. I decided to crawl into bed. A fresh-smelling Jasper was something I was in desperate need of, and maybe he'd want to finish what we started earlier.

"Hi," I said when he walked out, wrapped in a only towel.

"Hey." He didn't make eye contact.

"What'cha gonna do?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light. I shifted my position, trying as best I could to be sexy.

"Xbox, I think," he said, pulling on some boxers and pajama pants.

He left the room and I sank back into the bed. Message received, loud and clear.

I slept in the nursery that night. I wanted to be alone. Jasper's rejection of me was startling. No matter what we were going through, we'd always been close, always had each other. When Edward asked me what was wrong, why I was dragging a blanket and pillow into the other room, I just shook my head. I couldn't say anything, or it would all flood out in a torrent of emotion. I was in a place where it was all or nothing, so for everyone's sake, I sealed everything up and gave nothing.

{.}

In the morning, Edward woke me up with a sweet kiss on my forehead. My eyes were puffy, swollen almost closed, and crusted over.

"I feel like I can't leave until I know you're going to be okay," he said quietly.

"Of course I'll be okay," I said. I would be okay. We would all be okay. We had to be. "Have a good day at work. Maybe I'll make lasagna for dinner."

"I love you."

"I love you too," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He walked out of the room, whispering something to Emma, who was still asleep. The sun hadn't even risen yet, and I suspected Edward had slept as little as I had. I laid on the tiny couch thinking about my lunch with Esme, and what I was going to do about the rapidly crumbling state of my marriage. When I'd thought before about the things I had to worry about and would possibly need to someday fight against, it was always external forces — not once had I imagined that we might disintegrate from the inside. I turned on my side, crying again.

When I woke up the second time, the room was bright and Emma was reaching through the bars of her crib. "Mama!" she was saying, making me smile.

"Hey, Ems," I said, picking her up. "Good morning."

We danced down the hall and into the kitchen, where I made her some breakfast and poured myself the world's most giant cup of coffee. Jasper wasn't awake yet, and I wasn't ready to face him, so I left the bedroom door closed, lounging with my sweet girl in our pajamas as long as we could.

By eleven, I had to shower and get ready. Esme was never late.

"Jasper," I said quietly, once I was inside the bedroom. "I need to take a shower. Esme's going to be here soon."

"Okay," he said, stretching and reaching out for Emma. "Come snuggle with Daddy for a minute."

They were talking to each other as I stripped and climbed under the hot water. I was still nervous about what Esme wanted to talk about. I could only imagine all the ways she'd want to kick my ass. I had no time to put make-up on once I was dressed, so I went back to the living room and waited for the inevitable.

The doorbell rang and I jumped up to answer it.

"Hey, you two," I said, not expecting Carlisle to be with Esme. I hugged them both. "Are you coming with us, Dad?"

"Nope, I'm here for Jasper."

I stood still for a moment, processing what he said, and the tone he used. That hadn't sounded good at all…

"Oh. Okay," I said, still stunned. "Call me if you need anything?" half-asked, half-said to Jasper.

He nodded, eyeing up Carlisle. Suddenly, I realized if I thought I had it bad, Jasper had it ten times worse with Carlisle.

"Is it okay to leave the two of them in there?" I asked Esme as I locked the front door behind us.

She laughed, but nodded. "Carlisle just cares. Like I do."

The weather was gorgeous, so we grabbed lunch and sat outside.

"So, you going to tell me what's going on, or am I going to have to drag it out of you?" Esme asked, then took a giant bite of her turkey sandwich.

I almost choked on the bite of pasta salad I had in my mouth. I chewed slowly, contemplating how much to tell her.

"I just…" I took a deep breath. "I don't really know what you want me to say."

"Something is obviously going very wrong. Jasper isn't himself, not even close. You're a mess. Sorry, dear," she said, patting my hand. "I mean that in the nicest way possible. And Edward, well, Edward is the most stressed I've _ever_ seen him. Even when he was in medical school, he wasn't this haggard."

I was angry. Angry that I felt like I was under attack. Angry that it felt like she was blaming me. Angry that this whole situation had turned so much shittier than I could have ever imagined. Wasn't it already bad enough without her judgment?

"All of those are _lovely_ observations," I said, sarcasm chasing my words, "but I still don't know what you want me to say."

Esme's brows furrowed together as she looked at me, clearly surprised at my venomous response. She picked up her fancy sparkling water and took a sip from the straw, obviously contemplating her next move. She swallowed and closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before opening them again.

"Bella, I love you like a daughter. What I want you to say is how I can help. I was hoping that you'd open up to me and help me understand so I could try and offer you some guidance. You don't seem to want that, so failing my offering you advice, maybe you can tell me how to help."

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I don't know what to tell you. I wish I knew how you could help, I really do." I paused and set my bowl down on the grass. "I wish I knew how _I_ could help."

I laid back on the grass, looking up at the crystal clear blue skies. It was the perfect day to spend at the park with Emma and Jasper, or in the backyard with them. I could push her on the swing and we could talk and touch in the subtle ways you learn to reassure each other once there are small eyes watching. I wanted to hold his hand and feel his breath. I wanted to know his heart again.

"He's gone, Esme, and I don't know how to get him back."

She laid back in the grass with me, quite a feat for a polished woman that never had a stain in sight. But she laid back, right there, green grass marring her perfect off-white sweater set and slacks.

"Being a wife is a hard road sometimes, isn't it?" she asked.

"It really is. No one tells you about this. No one tells you about the adjustments you go through. What if one of us can't or doesn't adjust?"

"He will, sweetheart." Esme took my hand in hers, squeezing. "It's hard for him, you know? He doesn't know who he is anymore. He doesn't know how to be Jasper, the dad or Jasper, the husband. He's been Whitlock for all these years. Maybe we should have pushed him more when he was younger to branch out, but he was just so damned good. We always knew he'd be a star.

"I know you feel like he's shutting you out, Bella. He's shutting everyone out. I know Edward feels the exact same way. That's why Carlisle is over there. Jasper's getting the same riot act you are."

"Do you think it will help?"

"I have no idea," she said, her voice heavy and sad. "All we can do is try."

"What if it doesn't work?"

I could feel the tears chasing each other down my skull, landing on the grass.

"We'll do more. Try something else. You keep going when you're married. That's what it is — never giving up. You can't give up on Jasper. Don't you think he can sense everyone's feelings around him? He probably feels like he's failed all of you. He isn't going to bring in a huge income anymore, or be able to get reservations certain places by throwing his name around."

"He's still Whitlock, though. He's just a different version of him."

Esme turned to face me. "That's exactly what you need to show him."

She squeezed our hands again, and for the first time in weeks, I felt like there was something in front of me that I could do. I could show Jasper just how _Whitlock_ he still was. His body was softer, but still sculpted. His mind was still sharp and strong. I could even see the swagger there, under the layers of ache. If I was good at anything in this life, it was being a support person for my husbands.

We sat up and finished our lunch, even though all I wanted to do was go home and hug Jasper. He might still be stuck deep in that well of depression, but I could feel the plan forming in my head. I wasn't quite sure how I'd do it, but I had faith and confidence that together, Edward, Jasper, and I could work through it.

"You know he needs to see someone, right?" she asked.

I swallowed thickly, knowing how full of pride Jasper was, and how Edward had already said he wouldn't see someone, convinced he was fine. Maybe Carlisle would help him to see how it couldn't hurt to talk to an outside party.

"It's serious, Bella. You can help, but you can't get him to the other side. I don't even know if a therapist can. He might need to look into some good drugs. No shame in that."

I nodded slowly.

"Think they're done talking?" I asked.

"Yep," she said. "Carlisle texted me a few minutes ago to say it was safe to come home. He didn't sound like things went exactly as planned, though. Just know that they both love you, and they both love each other. More than that, though, you all trust each other, and you're all friends. Lean on the other aspects of your relationship. Pull from friends, and ask for help. We're here for you, whatever you need."

"Thank you, Esme."

"No thanks needed, just help me get my boy back."

I thought about everything as we drove. We'd tried time away from the house, away from the baby, to reconnect. Sure, it helped, but it wasn't helping long-term with Jasper trying to figure out what else he might want to do. He couldn't do that until he got to the point where he accepted his soccer career was over.

When she parked in the driveway, Esme turned to me and locked the doors.

"By the way, Edward told me you're thinking of another baby."

I panicked, instantly convinced she'd think it was a terrible idea.

She laughed. "You look like a deer in headlights. I was just going to suggest that maybe you should give it a few more weeks. Let Jasper find his footing a little more. I'm excited, though, and truly, I can't imagine a better fit for Edward and Jasper. You have a beautiful family. You're very lucky, don't you ever forget it. This is one challenge, Bella. You can make it over this hurdle, but expect another one right after it. Being a mom, being a wife … it's a distance marathon. There's no vacation, no sick days, no time off. You have to endure and carry on through the bad shit. Okay," she said, smiling as she unlocked the doors. "That's it. Let's go check on them."

I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth; the truth that I'd kept locked inside for days, afraid. Afraid of how it would impact Jasper's progress - or lack thereof. I was terrified to tell anyone that I was already pregnant. Especially after what she'd said, I felt horrible. I didn't want to put any more stress or strain on them, so I decided to continue to keep the information to myself. I rationalized that I'd still be pregnant when I told them, so what did it matter if they knew at two weeks or three or four? That didn't help the pit in my stomach, though. I felt terrible, like I was lying. Maybe in some ways I was. I wanted to share the happy news, celebrate and rejoice with my husbands and with the rest of the family.

The moment I was inside, I found Jasper with my eyes. Carlisle was walking around with Emma, her hands wrapped around his pointer fingers as they did mini laps around the living room.

"Hi," I mouthed to Jasper.

"Hi," he mouthed back. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I'm sending Edward home early tonight," Carlisle said. He let go of Emma and put her hands on Jasper's legs. "Bye, Emma. I love you." He kissed her cheek and waved, making room for Esme to kiss her.

When they moved to the door, Emma began to fuss, waving frantically and saying "Bye Nana," over and over.

"Say 'Bye Grandpa,' Em," I said, trying to get her to say his name, too. I sat on Jasper's side, holding one of Emma's hands in mine.

"I'll be Nana for now," Carlisle said, looking between Jasper and me. "Bye you two. Take care of each other."

The door closed and Jasper wrapped an arm around me, leaning closer.

"I can't believe she's walking," I said.

"We can learn together," Jasper said, letting out a small chuckle.

I leaned closer to him and could see his eyes were red-rimmed. My heart felt like it might break. "When is physical therapy today?"

"Soon," Jasper said, wandering off to get changed, I assumed.

I picked up Emma to get her a fresh diaper and clothes. Jasper walked into the nursery and stood next to me, talking to Em and laughing with her. Things felt tense, but better. I was hopeful that Carlisle had gotten through to him, even though there weren't any major immediate changes.

While Jasper was at his appointment, I took Emma around the corner to the library. We played with the board books and I checked a few out for her to play with at the house, too. I found myself wandering the self-help section, then passed through the cookbooks to browse for something new. We walked back to the physical therapy building and waited in the lobby for Japer. When he came out, hair dark from the water, jeans hanging just so, I almost salivated. Then I remembered the sting of rejection from the night before. I wanted Jasper to come to me. I wanted to give him the space he clearly needed.

When we got home, it was time for Emma's nap, so I laid her down and picked up a book, lounging on the couch in her room, reading until she woke up. It was nice to spend time just doing something I loved so fiercely… something just for me, with no end result other than a smile on my face.

As Carlisle promised, Edward was home in time to help me cook dinner, a rarity those days.

"Hey," I said, my smile practically splitting my face. "Missed you today."

"You too," Edward said, his arms drifting to my waist. "How was your day?"

"I read almost half a book!"

"How was lunch with my mom?" he asked, laughing and kissing me.

"It was good."

"That's it?"

"Yeah," I said, shrugging. "She sort of kicked my ass, but in a nice way."

"She has a way of doing that. What can I help with?"

We worked together in the kitchen, laughing and playing with Em the whole time. Jasper came out right as we were finished and we both smiled at him as he gathered up plates and silverware to set the table. As we ate, I noticed Jasper itching a lot.

"You okay?" I asked, nudging my head toward his arm.

"Being in the water everyday makes my skin so dry, I guess."

"Are you using lotion?" I asked.

Jasper looked at me and smirked. "For my dry skin? No."

I threw my napkin at him.

"Maybe I can help you with that later," Edward said quietly.

There was a beat that passed between them, their eyes locked on each other, and I could feel the sexual tension in the room rise.

"I'd like that," Jasper said.

My heart felt squeezed, not in the good way. In the "we're-done-with-you" way. I kept watching them, waiting for them to move or look at me, acknowledge my presence. When the first tear fell and hit against my hand, I bit my lip to keep more from coming.

Jasper reached over, without taking his eyes off Edward, and grabbed my hand. "You'll be there too, right?" he asked, turning to face me. "Wait, what's wrong?"

The string of tension in the room snapped and he moved closer to me, wiping the other tears.

"I just … had a moment, I guess. I felt a little left out there."

He leaned closer, kissing the side of my neck, my well-known weak-knee spot. "You were the one that started all this, asking if I used lotion," he whispered into my ear. His hands slid up my sides and his thumbs spread out, moving over my nipples.

"That's true," I said, laughing, and buried my head against his neck.

We managed to clean up the dishes and get Emma into the tub for a very splashy bath. She was almost always so happy, and that made me hopeful for the second little bean growing inside of me. As I crouched by the side of the tub, I realized I was starting to really feel pregnant. It would only be a matter of days before I couldn't hide it anymore, if it was anything like the last.

"Ready for bed?" I asked Emma, looking around at the soaked bathroom.

"We'll clean this up and meet you in the bedroom?" Jasper asked. He'd brought a chair into the room so he could sit comfortably, which made me glad. Instead of adapting and participating in a lot of these kinds of things, he'd just stopped being there.

"Sounds perfect."

I dried Emma off and carried her to her room. "Be a good girl for Mommy and go right to sleep, okay? Let's read one book when you're snuggled in, then lights out."

I put her into the pajamas I knew wouldn't fit her by the following week — she'd outgrown so much already. When she was in her crib, lying down, I picked up one of the books we'd gotten at the library as she clapped happily. In a quiet, calm voice that belied how much I wanted to be in the other room, I read the words and listened to her breathing between pages.

"Okay, angel, sleep well. See you in the morning. I love you."

I closed the door quietly, making sure the monitor was on, and crept over to our room. The door was mostly closed, and when I got inside, I took my clothes off and stood on the other side of Jasper. They'd already started, but I decided not to let that stand in my way of joining them. Edward handed me the bottle of lotion and I started at Jasper's arm, working my way down to his hand.

When I'd begun, Jasper turned and looked at me, sleepy eyes closing periodically. I leaned down and kissed the edge of his mouth, then went back to lotioning him up. By the time we got to his toes, Jasper was out cold. Apparently he needed sleep more than anything else, so we decided to leave his front-side until the next day. The way he was sprawled out on the bed left almost no empty space, and I giggled as I took a picture with my phone, to show him later.

"Guest room?" Edward asked quietly.

I nodded and reached into my dresser for a cotton nightgown as he grabbed some pajama pants. I crawled under the cool sheets and Edward pulled me into his arms.

"Do you think he's doing better? Did he tell you what he talked about with your dad? Or did your dad?"

"I think he is doing better, but we shouldn't expect it to stay this way. I'm not sure he's all the way there yet, you know? There are going to be bounces in his mood, what he wants, everything. And no, he didn't say anything about it and Dad was busy all afternoon with patients. I only saw him when he demanded I go home."

"You guys are so busy lately, are you thinking about bringing more people on staff?"

"It's funny you should ask, actually. I was talking to Dad about asking Alice if she'd like to come work with us. What do you think about that?"

"I think that's a great idea. I'm sure she'd love the stable hours and that would help her job to not be in jeopardy if anyone found out about her family. I can send her a text tomorrow, if you want?"

"That'd be great. Thank you."

When I woke up the next morning, the waves of nausea were overwhelming. I ran to the hall bathroom to throw up, and spent the next few minutes on the cold tile floor. I couldn't even get up when I heard Jasper's crutches getting closer.

"Are you okay? Shit. You must have the stomach flu or something." He bent and helped me sit up.

"I guess."

My stomach dropped again, not from morning sickness, but from what felt like the lie I was telling. I could see the rationalization both ways, that it was or wasn't a lie, but it didn't matter — I felt like it was a lie, and it made me sick. I'd have to find a way to tell them soon.

"Let's get you to the couch. I have some Gatorade in the fridge. Blue or purple?"

"Blue," I said as I stood.

Jasper put his arm around my waist and held me tight as we walked.

"You just rest here. I'll get you a pillow and a blanket and then I'll be back with blue. Here's the remote."

When he was out of the room, I had to laugh. Jasper had swung into action without me even asking for help. Edward showed up a few minutes later, holding Emma.

"You okay?" he asked, leaning down to kiss my cheek. "Have a fever?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine," I said, still being careful to skirt the line.

Jasper showed up with crackers and my drink, complete with bendy straw, and I smiled. "Thank you."

Edward set Emma in her swing and showered before heading in to the office. Jasper doted on me, taking care of Emma and me, and I felt worse and worse. I had to get up several times, running to the bathroom, and by the end of the day, I was exhausted in every sense of the word, and panicked.

How would I get out of this without it seeming like I'd been lying to them the whole time? Why hadn't I just told them when I first saw the stupid smiley faces on the test?


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you all for being patient with me. I apologize profusely that this is late. Also, I haven't done the review replies for chapter 12 yet, but I promise I will get to them ASAP.**

**Thank you to those of you that review. I appreciate it more than I can ever say.  
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**Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi. You hold my hand, you reassure me, and you make it all okay.**

**Thanks to KareBear1965 & jessypt for having eagle eyes. :)  
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**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners; the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

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><p><em>How would I get out of this without it seeming like I'd been lying to them the whole time? Why hadn't I just told them when I first saw the stupid smiley faces on the test?<em>

The next morning, I woke up feeling just as awful. Jasper played nurse again, catering to me as I laid on the couch. When it was time for his physical therapy, I was feeling a little better. I brought animal crackers in a baggie and shared with Em as we waited for him in the lobby. I thought about all the ways I could tell them I was pregnant. When Jasper came out with his familiar wet hair, I smiled at him, complete happiness seeping into my marrow. Would he feel the same way, once he found out?

Our hands linked and he reached his free hand out for Emma, who wrapped her fingers around his pinky. We walked to the car, a smiling, happy, normal family. By the time we got home, I was throwing up again. Jasper put Em to bed and tucked me in on the couch, my standard supply of animal crackers on the table. I flipped the TV on and landed at the news channel.

When Jasper was back from tucking Em in, he sat in the chair kitty-corner from me, his hand reaching over to stroke my hair. I closed my eyes and soaked in his attention. It was nice to allow someone else to be the caretaker, and to just relax for a few minutes.

"Come snuggle?"

"Sure," Jasper said, situating himself behind me on the couch.

He reeked of chlorine, and I wrinkled my nose. I wanted to burrow against his body, though, wanting to be closer despite the smell. His arms rested on my back, wrapped around me, and his fingertips played just beneath the hem of my shirt. I couldn't help but think about being in the exact same position with him, naked. Feeling him inside me, slowly moving. My next exhale was loud, full of the pent-up need and frustration.

We watched a movie wrapped up together, until Em woke up from her nap. Jasper got her and changed her, then brought her into the kitchen where we started making dinner. I was surprised he'd wanted to help, but thankful — my nausea was still lingering and I wasn't sure I could make it all the way through getting things done.

My phone chirped and I figured it was Alice texting me, so I ignored it as I chopped lettuce for a salad. Jasper was stirring sauce for our spaghetti, and when the house phone rang, I wiped my hands and answered.

"Hello?"

"Bella, I'm so glad I caught you," Esme said. "I texted you a bit ago, but felt better talking to you. You know what I said the other day, about waiting a few weeks?"

"Mhm."

"Sometimes, I get things wrong. It took me a few days to connect the dots."

"One sec, let me go look at that," I said, trying to create an excuse to walk out of the room. "Be right back," I whispered, kissing Jasper's cheek.

I walked into the nursery, wondering how different it might look in a year.

"What are you saying, Esme?" I asked, just to be sure we were on the same page.

"Maybe you should tell them, Bella."

"Tell them what?"

Esme laughed. "Well, Edward told me you've been throwing up the last two days. All day. Are you pregnant?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"How far along are you?"

"A few weeks."

I sat in the corner, my knees tucked into my body as much as I could get them.

"What if they freak out?"

"They might," she said. "I don't think they will, but you never know."

"What if they're angry I didn't tell them sooner?"

"Then I'll kick their asses," she said, matter-of-factly.

I laughed. "Promise?"

"Sure. When you're ready, I think they'll be ecstatic."

"Thanks, Mom."

Her swallow was audible, and when she said goodbye, her voice was thick with emotion. I stayed in the corner for another minute, collecting my thoughts. By the time I walked back out to the kitchen, Jasper had everything ready and on the table. He was bouncing Emma around the kitchen, quasi-dancing with her as he sang.

"Edward isn't home yet?"

"Nope," Jasper said. "Should we eat without him?"

I nodded and we sat down across from each other, Em at the end of the table. Mostly, the silence was filled with the sound of utensils scraping against plates.

"Hey," Edward said, rushing into the kitchen. "Sorry I'm so late. I had to make a few stops." His smile was full of dirty goodness, and I suddenly looked even more forward to Emma's bedtime.

"Yeah? What for?" I asked, putting some salad onto his plate.

"Later," he said. "How were my girls today? And my man?" He walked around, giving each of us a kiss — Emma's on her cheek — then sat and ate.

"I spent the day being Bella's nurse, for a change," Jasper said, his hand gliding up and down Edward's back.

"You're still sick? Still no fever?"

"Nope, no fever. I feel better today, though."

As the panic swelled, I tried to remember Esme's reassurances that I could tell them whenever I wanted.

That night, as I was tucking Em in for bed after her bedtime story, inspiration struck. I knew exactly how to tell them, I just needed to get a few things, first. I decided I'd reveal the news over the weekend, depending on when I could sneak out to get what I needed. Jasper seemed to be on an upswing and the timing finally felt right.

When Emma was tucked in, read to, and kissed, I made my way to the bedroom. Jasper and Edward weren't in bed, so I poked around the corner to look into the bathroom.

"Hey," I said, smiling at them.

"Climb in?" Jasper said, moving to make room for me.

"Naw, I'll just enjoy the view."

Jasper sat in front of Edward and I watched intently as the two of them took their time, surely teasing me. Edward put soap onto the bath puff, first cleaning Jasper's back as he slouched forward, then pressing their bodies together, the slick bubbles between them. When his hand dipped below the water line, I groaned quietly. I could tell from the way Jasper's eyes closed and his head leaned back onto Edward's shoulder that he was getting very, very clean.

Once he'd apparently done enough teasing, Edward grabbed the cup at the side of the tub that we used with Emma and wet Jasper's hair. As he massaged some shampoo in, I thought about how nice it felt to have someone wash my hair for me. I knew Jasper was relaxing under his touch, and when they were finished, I stood up and wrapped Jasper in his towel first, then Edward.

They dried themselves off, hung the towels up, and we walked into the bedroom. Edward wandered to a bag set off on his side of the bed.

"Ooh, do we get to find out what you bought?" Jasper asked.

"Yep. Lie down," Edward said. "This time, try not to fall asleep." Edward poked Jasper in the ribs as he walked by, and I laughed.

When Jasper was spread out on the bed, which had been cleared of blankets, I took a minute to admire his body. Edward crawled over him, then drizzled some clear liquid, lube I assumed, over his back. When he set the bottle on the bed, I picked it up and looked at it. It was edible massage oil, which made me laugh. After I pooled some in my own hands, I set to work on Jasper's shoulder, leaving Edward with his legs and any spot I was worried about potentially jostling and hurting.

Edward took his time, rubbing over Jasper's lower back and ass carefully. I could tell Jasper was getting turned on, his breathy pants increasing and small noises joining them.

"Do you like that?" Edward asked softly.

"Yeah," Jasper said.

"You comfortable like this?"

"Mhm."

"Good. Let me know if you need me to stop," Edward said.

I shifted my eyes lower and realized Edward was fingering him. It was slow, achingly slow. I could imagine being in Jasper's place, Edward's fingers pushing in to and pulling out of me carefully. I got up from the bed and walked to the closet, finding what I'd gone in for. As I fastened the harness around my hips, I laughed — I had to let the belt out one notch around my waist to account for the changes in my body since the last time I'd used it.

When I got closer to them, I opened the bottle of lube I'd brought with me, slicking up and down the fake cock. Stopping once I was behind Edward, I put a hand on his shoulder and pushed lightly. He turned back to look at me, then lowered his body so he was mimicking Jasper's. I waited for them to get positioned just right so that Jasper's leg was out of the way, then I began to slick Edward's body. My fingers teased and played, much like his were doing to Jasper, until I knew he was ready. Until he whispered and asked nicely.

Using my hand, I lined the tip of the silicone with his body and pushed forward ever so slightly. Pulling back, I repeated the action, sinking further each time. By the time his body had accepted the entire length, my hands were at his hips, holding him steady. I quickly turned on the vibrator at the other end of the strap-on, which caused me to let out a squeak.

"Faster," Edward said. "I've got Jasper, it's okay."

I trusted him to protect Jasper, so I moved faster, harder. Each time I was seated all the way, the vibrator snug against my clit, I couldn't help but grind a bit; it felt amazing, and I loved that we were together in a different configuration than usual. It was powerful to be the one fucking, too, I realized. I watched them, beneath me, receiving pleasure from me as opposed to being above me, giving it to me, penetrating me… it made me shiver even as I flexed my hips again.

"Shit," Jasper said. "I'm going to come all over the bed."

"Mmm, don't care. Do it."

I thrust into Edward harder, just to prove my point. His hand reached back, gripping my hip and pulling me tighter. It never failed to surprise me how rough I could be with them, once everything was ready to go. I pushed and pushed, trying to get deeper, and keeping the sweet vibrations where I wanted them.

When I came, it was hard and loud. So loud I was worried I woke Emma up, but then, she'd slept through plenty of screaming orgasms by that point… lucky, lucky me.

"Holy shit. I think you're both crushing me," Jasper mumbled.

I pulled back as fast as I could without hurting Edward. "Sorry!" I said. "Ohh, that's hot, though."

Edward pulled up from Jasper's body, leaving behind streaks of cum.

"It's actually quite cold," Jasper cheeked. "Towel? Are we getting into the shower?"

"Let's just clean up and snuggle," I said, handing him a small towel from the bedside table.

"Edward must really have not pre-planned this," Jasper said.

"I didn't, I swear," Edward said, snatching the towel and wiping Jasper off. "I just wanted to give you a massage and make you feel good."

"Well, mission accomplished. Now I just need to brush my teeth and I'll be ready for a perfect night of sleep."

We walked to the bathroom and I set the harness in the sink, filling it with hot water; I'd clean it in the morning. As we brushed our teeth, we exchanged giggles and smiles, something so normal for us, but that had been missing over the last few months. Edward walked behind me to go into the bathroom and his hand curled around my belly for the briefest moment. If you looked closely, I could tell from the side that I was pooched out a bit. Not much. You might mistake it for just regular hormonal bloat, but I suspected he knew. The soft smile he gave me in the mirror nearly confirmed the suspicion, and I couldn't help but feel relieved.

Between us, Jasper slept like a log all night. For the first time in months, I slept soundly. I'd curled my body as close as I could to Jasper's, feeling his warmth all night. I wanted to be in the middle, but that wasn't how it worked out, so I made the best of it.

{.}

The next day was a Thursday, and during Emma's naptime, I told Jasper I was going to run some errands. It was mostly true, and I'd felt better, but took my baggie of animal crackers with me, and an ice cold ginger ale. I went from store to store, but none of them had what I wanted. Finally, it was already almost dinnertime and I had to get back home. I made one last stop at a specialty shop, hopeful they'd be able to help me. Sure enough, I hit the jackpot. I smiled the entire drive home.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Edward's car when I pulled in to the garage. I nearly danced my way inside, then spotted them on the couch.

"What's wrong?"

I was screaming on the inside. What more could go wrong, for fuck's sake?

"Jasper's agent called. There's another story running tomorrow," Edward said. "Smaller scale, of course, since the main scandal has passed, but apparently the rag wants to print an unnamed medical source that claims his injury should be recoverable. The angle is going to be that he's leaving because he's ashamed, not because he has to."

"Jesus, are you kidding me?"

"Can't make this shit up," Jasper mumbled.

"So what are you going to do? Another press conference?" I asked.

"That's not going to help anymore," Jasper said. His hands were balled into fists, his voice full of anger. "I don't even want to dignify those mother fuckers with anything anymore. They can go to hell."

He got up and stormed to the bedroom, the door slamming behind him. Emma jumped at the noise, then wandered down the hall after him. I picked her up and held her in my lap, sitting down on the couch next to Edward. Even knowing Jasper's anger and rage wasn't directed at us, it still shocked and saddened me to see him so upset. I felt useless, and like there was nothing I could do.

"Did he talk to his agent yet?"

"Yeah," Edward said, scrubbing his face with his hands. "They were talking when I came in. It sounds like he dropped Jasper as a client."

"Fuck."

"I'll go order something for dinner," Edward said. "Why don't you take Em in there and try to talk to him?"

"Okay."

Even though I wanted to give him space, I figured it couldn't hurt to try. If he wanted to be left alone, I'd do that. After a soft knock on the door, I opened it and walked in with Emma holding on to my fingers.

"Hi," I said. "I thought we could come in and talk."

Jasper didn't answer, so we walked around to his side. He picked Emma up and gave her a zerbert on her belly, making her giggle.

"I love you," he said, looking right at her.

"Love chew," she said back, squeezing his cheeks with her hands and giving him a sloppy kiss.

"What are we gonna do, munchkin? Daddy has no job. No career anymore."

"Park!"

"No, sweetheart, we can't go to the park right now, but maybe tomorrow." Jasper put his hand down on the mattress next to him, looking up at me. "Sit with me?"

"Of course." I sat next to him, my head resting awkwardly on his shoulder.

He took my hand in his, tracing my palm with his fingertips and making patterns I'd never understand.

"It's all over, isn't it?" he asked quietly.

"No," I said equally quiet. "It's only just begun."

His body shook with a small laugh as his fingers threaded with mine, gripping and squeezing. "I like that idea."

"Good. Get used to it. You're going to have to grab life by the balls now. It's going to suck some days. Someday, people will just walk by you on the street, not a clue that you were Whitlock. What'd your agent say?"

"He said I had nothing for him to help me with anymore. _Jasper_ doesn't need a sports agent."

"Ouch."

"Yeah," he said, sighing. "He did tell me if I had my eye on a sports caster spot or something like that, he could put me in touch with someone, which was at least nice."

"Is that what you might want to do?"

"No. I'm so burned on being in the spotlight," he said. "All I ever wanted to do was play soccer. The fame was nice, but it was always secondary."

"I know. I'm sorry." I squeezed his hand and moved my head to kiss his cheek. "You'll be okay, you know? You have all of us, and we love you so much. I just… I need you to not go away again."

The tears welled in my eyes.

"What do you mean?" he asked, shifting to look at me.

"This Jasper, I need this one to stay. I need you to fight with me, to get better. I need _you_, and so does Edward, and Emma." And whoever is growing inside me.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I really, really am. I feel like I'm so lost and I don't want to turn to someone outside of us, our family, but at the same time, I can't even turn to anyone outside of myself. Every time I feel like I've worked up the courage to talk to one of you, I feel like a burden. Like I'm robbing you of your last shreds of happiness."

"What? No. Jasper, shit. We're here for you, always. Good times and bad, remember?"

"You don't know how many times I've thought about where my suitcase is, or just leaving. Opening the door, getting in my car, and driving until I can't drive anymore."

"You have to know that's your depression talking," Edward said, startling me.

"I'm not depressed," Jasper said, his whole body turning stiff.

Edward carefully kneeled on the floor in front of us, taking Jasper's other hand in his. "Sweetheart, you are."

Jasper grumbled, but didn't argue anymore. Emma plopped in Edward's lap and they were babbling at each other.

"Do you think I'm depressed?" Jasper asked, looking at me.

"I don't know, but I do think you need to talk to someone that isn't me or Edward. Not because we don't want to hear it — trust me, we do. I will listen to you until I can't listen anymore, but I don't know how to help you fix this."

"Like a shrink will?" he huffed.

"They might not, but I'm sure they'll have some ideas about how to help. Only you know what you really want to do next, or maybe they can help you figure that out, too."

"Actually, I do think I might know what I want to do next," Jasper said, a tiny bit of hope tinting his words. "Or, at least, something I want to look into."

Edward and I both looked over at him, waiting for him to expand.

"The other night, you guys sparked and idea," Jasper said.

"You want to act in porn?" I asked, giggling.

"No, perv. I want to look into massage school. Obviously I have to wait until my leg is completely healed, it's a lot of standing, but maybe that or sports therapy. I could help other injured players? I don't know. It was just a thought."

"I think it's a great thought," I said. "Best thought lately."

"Have you looked into it at all?" Edward asked.

"No, just a tiny bit today while Bella was shopping."

"Well, we'll have to look into that more."

The doorbell rang, and we all stood up, Edward and I helping Jasper with his crutches.

"I'll be so glad when these are gone," he said.

"You'll be down to one crutch soon, right?" Edward asked.

"Next week, I hope."

We sat around the living room eating Chinese food out of takeout containers, slurping noodles together. We weren't at the end of the problem, but we at least had a scrap of notes about what might get us there.

"We should just do a family movie weekend. Just us. Turn all our phones off. Order delivery food. We can lounge in the tub, and do dirty things, and just … relax," I said.

Edward and Jasper exchanged a look.

"What?"

"Just, we had plans for Friday night," Jasper said, shrugging.

"Oh," I said, biting the edge of my fingernail.

"With you, dork," Jasper said, rolling his eyes at me.

"We were going to surprise you. I guess most of it can still be a surprise," Edward said.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"You forgot your birthday again," Jasper said, smirking at me.

Fuck. I totally had.

Then I panicked. Going out for my birthday would likely mean alcohol… or at least, offers of it. And how would I refuse? I'd have to implement my plan a day early.

"Can we do movie weekend the rest of the time?"

"Of course," Edward said. "It's your weekend."

"Perfect."

{.}

All day Friday, I looked forward to our time out. I kept watching the clock, waiting for Edward to come home. Waiting for my time to shower and put on my fancy dress.

"Where are we going?" I asked Jasper.

He smiled, shaking his head. "Not telling."

"How do I know what to wear?" I asked, pouting.

"Actually, I think Edward laid something out in your closet before he left. You don't have to wear that, mind you. If you hate it, you could pick something similar?"

I squealed and bounced around in the kitchen.

"Too much coffee," Jasper said, laughing and shaking his head as he walked to the living room.

I _had_ had a lot of coffee that morning, but the truth was, it was just nice to be reminded that I mattered, and that I was wanted. Sure, they showed me in little ways all the time, but this was something more.

By the time Esme arrived, I was ready to go — I had the black dress Edward had picked, even though it was very tight in the midsection. I was worried it wasn't going to zip, in fact, but I called upon the gods and it somehow made it up. I was wearing heels, and stockings, and really gorgeous new lingerie. I felt amazing, freshly shaved and smooth. I even dabbed a little perfume behind my ears.

Of course, I still had my plan to execute.

"Let me just go check on Emma," I said.

I found her in her room, playing, and I scooped her up. "Come help Mama with a surprise," I said, tickling her belly.

"Otay."

"Arms up," I said. "Put on your shirt."

When she had it on, she looked down. No doubt the words meant nothing to her, but to me, they were everything. I grabbed my camera from the dresser.

"Let's go show your daddies and Grandma," I said, nudging her down the hall. "Ready to say 'ta da'?"

Emma made her grand entrance into the living room, wobbling.

"Tan da!" she said, arms stretched out… then ran for her stuffed animal in the corner.

Everyone had turned to look, but she hadn't been still long enough for them to read the words.

"Come here, baby," Edward said, kneeling down and holding his arms out.

She ran for him, barreling into his body and by the time he'd read the words, a feather could have knocked him over. I turned to look at Jasper, eager to see his reaction, too. He seemed stunned, but not in a bad way. He had a smile on his face, and he was clearly processing everything.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yep," I said. "Really."

"Congratulations," Esme said, pulling us into a hug. Edward was still on the floor with Emma, but as soon as they stood up, we all huddled together.

"Tan da!" Emma said again, repeating her grand entrance gesture.

"You did it perfectly," I said. "Are you ready to be a big sister?"

"Yes!"

She was ecstatic, even though she had no idea what being a big sister meant. She could see how happy we all were, though, and I knew she could feel it, too.

In the car, Jasper turned from his seat and looked at me, then started laughing.

"I am so fucking stupid," he said. "That's why you've been sick."

I giggled and looked at the floor. "You're not stupid, but yes, that's why."

At the restaurant, the boys split a bottle of wine once I agreed to be the designated driver. I ate my weight in bread, a steak practically drowned in butter, and a flourless chocolate cake. And several bites of Jasper's sorbet. Okay, and some of Edward's apple crisp, too. I'm sure I waddled out to the car, after.

The next morning, we slept in as late as we could, no one's alarm eager to wake us. Edward drove to grab bagels and Jasper and I fixed up the living room with piles of blankets and pillows. Even Emma snuggled in for a bit before taking off to play in her room. We spent the next two days watching movies and doting on each other. We shared food, ate with our hands, and cleaned each other after getting dirty.

By Sunday night, I was a little pouty that Edward had to go to work the next morning.

"Can't you just quit?"

"No," he said, laughing.

"But you said we have enough money."

"It isn't about the money, Bella. I love what I do. We'd all get on each others' nerves if we were home all the time, trust me," he said, walking into the closet to get his clothes ready for the next day.

We laid in bed that night, hands together, just like our hearts. It was the first time I felt really pregnant, now that they both knew. I wondered if it would be a boy or a girl. Would it look more like Edward or Jasper, or neither? Or both? I didn't care, as long as it was healthy and happy. I didn't want to deal with more colic, but even though I knew there would be off days, I had enjoyed Emma's infancy, and looked forward to doing it again.

"You know what's going to be awesome about the next few months?" Jasper asked, breaking the quiet of the room.

"What?"

"I get to be here this time. I get to really be around, and watch you grow and get bigger, and go to the store at two in the morning for pickles. I get to do that stuff."

"Hell yes you do," Edward said, laughing.

"I can't wait," Jasper said.

I couldn't either.


	14. Chapter 14

**I apologize that this chapter is late (again). I'm going to upload this and then jump to replying to reviews, since I did not get a chance to do that yet. **

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**Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi. You are amazing and I am lucky to have you in my corner. **

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* * *

><p>"<em>I can't wait," Jasper said.<em>

_I couldn't either._

The next week, I had my first appointment with my obstetrician. I was excited that both boys were able to join me, knowing they'd likely both be along for each step of the way. Emma stayed in the lobby with Esme, and when the appointment was over, we all got lunch together. By the time we got back home, I felt as though my belly had expanded by several inches. All I wanted were stretchy pants and a comfortable place to lie down. I got both of them almost immediately, then spent the afternoon relaxing. Even though I was chasing Emma down what felt like non-stop, with Jasper around to help, it was mostly easy going. We spent long afternoons at the park now that she could walk, then we would take a nap — yep, both of us, but if I got lucky, Jasper would join me in our bed — and when we got up, we all helped make dinner. When Edward got home, we'd sit and eat together. I could see Jasper coming back to himself, even though he still had awful days, too.

Right around my fifth month of pregnancy, we were grocery shopping together and near the checkout when we saw another rag that had printed a similar story about questioning the legitimacy of quitting due to his injury. It must've been a slow news week, because I thought we'd surely have been long past the drama by then. It made me see red. I snatched the paper from the rack and shoved it at Jasper.

"You're not going to let them get away with this again, are you? It's just going to keep getting worse!"

He took the magazine and flipped it open to the article, reading as I loaded our groceries.

"I don't really see what I could do about it," he said, putting it back on the rack.

"We could sue for defamation and libel!"

"To what end? If people think I quit because of any reason other than my leg, I'm never going to change their minds by suing anyone."

We were forced to be falsely cordial to each other in the middle of our heated discussion, as the cashier rang up our food. Emma smiled when she got a sticker, and the moment we were loading things into the back of the car, we started at it again.

"No, you won't change their minds, but this is about _you_. I don't give a fuck what people think about us, but I want you to be able to hold your head high."

Jasper stopped what he was doing and turned toward me, grabbing my wrists.

"That's the thing. I _do_ hold my head high. I _am_ proud. If people can see us together and still think there's any part of me that's ashamed, well, there's not a damn thing I can do about that."

I knew he was right, but it still made me angry. Every fiber in my being wanted to draw up the paperwork to haul the magazine into court. We had the standing to win, I knew it. I was in full lawyer mode by the time we got home.

"Are you sure I can't call a friend and get some papers drawn up?" I asked, bouncing on my heels. "They deserve to bleed money for what they've said."

"Let me think about it, okay?" he said, then turned and kissed my forehead. "I love that you want to fight for me. When did you get so feisty?"

"Oh, don't you remember the days of moot court? I've always been feisty, just buried in poop lately."

He laughed, shaking his head, and we carried the groceries in. Some part of myself had been asleep, woken up by the drama of everything. I wondered if Jasper ever thought about staying home with the kids. Would I even want to go back to work full time? It was something I needed to think about, once the idea popped into my head.

Jasper was walking without his crutches, which made me so happy. He was healing and feeling stronger each day. I just knew that soon, he'd be running again. Maybe I'd run with him, once our little acrobat was born. Halloween and Thanksgiving were around the corner, and Christmas was a few months away, but sneaking up quickly. I needed to find something for everyone, plus get the house decorated for each holiday. The thought was overwhelming, and I wondered if anyone would really mind if we did a little less that year.

"Hey, we swimming together today?" I asked as Jasper as we cleaned up after breakfast.

"Yeah, definitely, after therapy. I can't wait to see you in your suit," he said, waggling his eyebrows.

The day Jasper agreed to weekly therapy, I cried with relief.

"Oh god, stop!" I rolled my eyes, groaning at the image of me in spandex.

"You're sexy, baby," he said. "Don't you forget it."

"Sexy?" I asked.

"Yep."

"Even in my frayed sweats, my ever-growing belly, and with stains all over my t-shirt?"

He pinned me against the counter, his arms on either side of my body. "Damn, your arms are amazing. All that swimming…"

"Don't distract me," he said, running his nose up my neck. "I was telling you all the ways you're sexy."

I laughed, but it was Emma that broke our moment, clinging to both of our legs. "Gwoup hug!"

Jasper lifted her, and I was happy to see him strong again. Grateful that he'd persevered, even when it sucked and hurt and drained everything he had. He still favored his non-injured leg, but we stood there together, a differently-cemented family. I wished Edward had been there, but remembered he'd promised to come home early. I hoped we'd have some time to unwind later that night, once Emma was asleep. I needed to relax, which reminded me that I'd forgotten about the lawsuit thing.

"Hey," I said, poking Jasper's chest once he set Emma down and she'd run off. "You let me forget about the paper."

"I'm going to therapy. We can talk about it again when I get back, okay?"

He leaned in as close as he could get with my belly bulging between us, kissing me soft and slow. My hands skimmed up the shirt covering his arms, then wrapped around his neck, holding him where he was. It was slow and comfortable, the way his tongue slid gently against mine, the tingle of his minty toothpaste invading my mouth.

If possible, he pushed himself against me harder, his hands pulling at my back to bring me closer. It was frantic in a way we hadn't been in a long time. With a few last small bites at my lips, he pulled back.

"Hold that thought until I get back," he whispered, forehead against mine.

"I'm gonna hold you to that," I said, laughing.

My hormones had already been in overdrive, but after that, they were off the charts.

"What if I can't wait?" I asked, suddenly realizing I might not be able to.

"Don't make me spank you," he said, grabbing his keys and wallet from the table.

I giggled, but then the idea sank in and I decided maybe I wanted that, too. I briefly wondered if Esme could take Emma for the night but dismissed that idea since we had a birthday party to go to early the next morning. Stupid birthday parties.

The door closed and I was brought back to the present. While Jasper was gone, I folded clothes and cleaned a bit. Mostly, I did whatever I could to distract myself from going into the bedroom or bathroom for five minutes of alone time. Around the time I knew his therapy session would be over, I texted Jasper to ask if he could stop at Target and grab a birthday gift and card for the party since I'd forgotten.

I'd just sat down on the couch when the garage door opened. I expected it to be Jasper, but was delighted when it was Edward.

"Hi," I said, smiling as he set his keys down.

He smiled back and sat next to me.

"How was your day?" I asked. "I actually thought you were Jasper coming home from therapy."

"I'm good. Glad Jasper's at therapy." Edward picked up my foot and started rubbing. "Excited for the weekend?"

"Mhm," I said, scooting further onto the couch and closing my eyes.

"We were talking about always doing half-days on Fridays."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes flying open. "Oh, I think that would be so great. By Friday, it feels like we've all barely seen each other all week. I'd love to get extra time."

"Me too," he said, then switched to rubbing my other foot.

I closed my eyes again, my body stretched out on the couch, and promptly fell asleep. When I woke up, I could smell something yummy coming from the kitchen. Jasper and Edward were talking, and my feet were still in Edward's lap.

"Nice nap?" Jasper teased.

"The best," I said, stretching and moving my muscles.

"You're awake just in time for hot pizza," Edward said.

"Pizza, Mama," Emma squealed, reaching up to touch me on the couch.

"Not as good as a hot fuck, but a respectable second," I said quietly, laughing as I stood up.

"Dirty girl," Jasper said, grabbing my ass. "You're going to have to start watching your mouth, though."

"True, but you were the one making promises earlier."

"Promises I fully intend to keep," he said.

We walked into the kitchen and there were several boxes of pizza on the table. Edward cut bites from a slice of cheese pizza for Emma, and Jasper grabbed us something to drink. I tried to be sexy while I ate, but I was ravenous. It was a miracle I left any pizza for them, frankly.

"Next week is the ultrasound, right?" Edward asked, eating one last bite.

"Yep. Do you guys want to find out if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I do," Jasper said.

"I can't decide," I said. "Some days I do, and some days I want to be surprised."

"Yeah," Edward agreed. "I can't decide. I guess that means we should just find out, right? If none of us is very opposed to the idea?"

I smiled. "Sure. Let's do it. It'll give us more time to argue about names."

{.}

"Bath time," I said, scooping up Emma. I wanted to soak in the tub with her, knowing we were down to a few months of just her. Once the bubbles had partway filled the porcelain, I stripped off her clothes and diaper, putting them in their hampers, then took my clothes off. I got in, settling myself on one side of the giant tub, and lifted her up and over the lip so she could splash around with me.

"Let me wash your hair first, okay princess?"

I picked up the cup and she tipped her head back. The water streamed down her back and she giggled, closing her eyes. She loved water, loved playing in it, and loved bath time.

"Good job. Keep your head back."

As I lathered her hair, I thought about how we might manage two babies in one tub. Of course, Emma wasn't really a baby anymore. When her hair was rinsed, I leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Baby," Emma said, touching my belly.

"Yep. That's your little sister or brother."

"Sister," she said, confident.

"Well, it might be a brother."

Emma shook her head no, and I laughed. She was stubborn, just like her daddies, all right. I decided there wasn't any point in arguing or correcting her, since it was part of a much larger conversation that would just go over her head.

"You're going to be such a good big sister," I said.

Water splashed everywhere and I closed my eyes, laughing. She had no idea what being a big sister meant, but there was something so amazing about watching her grow up right before me, and knowing someone else would be joining her soon.

"Need help?" Edward asked, opening a towel.

"No, Daddy!" Emma screeched, clearly not ready to get out of the tub.

"Five more minutes," I said. "Then we get out, no arguments."

Edward sat on the closed toilet. "So Mom's going to meet us after the party tomorrow and take Emma for the night."

"Really? That's so funny, I was just thinking earlier that I'd ask if she could take her but I figured it wouldn't work out."

"She came by the office and asked if she could take her tonight, but I said no because of the party. I think she's nervous she won't be able to handle two, so she's trying to get in as much time as she can now," Edward said with a little laugh.

"She's okay?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"Yeah, she's just almost sixty. That reminds me, Dad was asking if we'd want to go on a cruise for her birthday. I said I'd talk to you and Jasper."

"That would be fun," I said. "I've always wanted to go on a cruise. Where does he want to go?"

"He mentioned the Mediterranean, or the Bahamas."

"Mmm, both of those would be awesome."

"I'll double-check with Jasper and let him know we're in, then."

"Okay, your five minutes are up, Emmers. Up into Daddy's arms you go," I said, helping her to stand up.

Edward airplaned her out of the room and took her to get dressed, while I refilled the tub with warmer water and sat for a bit. It made me laugh when Jasper came in with my robe.

"You guys are too good to us," I said, stepping up and out of the tub, letting him wrap me up.

"Impossible," he said, backing me into the wall. He lips pressed against my neck softly, making a path to my collarbone. "I don't need to spank you tonight for being bad, do I?" His hands went beneath the plush fabric, his thumbs skimming the thin skin at my hips. His fingers splayed, reaching, but not exactly to where I wanted.

"No," I whispered, incapable of anything louder.

"So I can just spank you if I want to?" His hands reached down, soft, warm skin against mine, until he was cupping my ass.

"Mhm," I said, nuzzling my head in to his shoulder.

I wanted him to lift me up and fuck me against the wall. Opening my legs, I pulled him closer, up against me.

"I love you just like this, soft and needy."

"Touch me. Please," I begged.

"Can't," he breathed against the center of my chest. "Promised Edward I'd wait. Never promised I wouldn't tease, though."

His lips wrapped around my nipple and my head hit the wall with a thud.

"You guys okay?" Edward asked from the other room.

Jasper mumbled against my nipple, the sensation provoking a whimper from me.

"Hey," Edward half-shouted. "You're not getting started without me, are you? Jasper!"

"Just having a little pre-game warmup," Jasper said, pulling away from my body. "She was all naked and sexy, you can't blame me for that."

I rolled my eyes and adjusted my robe closed before we walked to the living room. Edward was on the carpet playing with Emma, talking and laughing.

"Book, Dada?" Emma said, handing Jasper what looked like a new board book.

Edward sat on the couch with me as Jasper read the book with Emma, both of them lying on their bellies. When they finished, Emma grabbed another book from what looked like a giant pile.

"Someone had fun at the book store today," I said.

"Yeah, I went after therapy. It was nice to walk around. They had so many cute books I couldn't pass up. And now we'll get double the use out of them." He looked up and smiled at me, well, at Edward and me, really. It was one of those moments that gave me shivers.

Edward put one of his legs on the ground and I scooted back into his arms. He was warm and comfortable, snuggling me close as we watched them. When it was close to Emma's bedtime, Jasper scooped her up and took her to her room.

He came out a few minutes later, Cheshire Cat grin on his face. "She's settled in for the night."

"C'mere," I said.

Turning to face Edward, I unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. By the time I turned around to Jasper, his shirt was off, his pants hanging open.

Jasper got down on his knees in front of the couch and pulled my robe open. With a quick tug at my knees, he brought his mouth to my pussy. A few soft kisses later, he looked up at me. He was driving me insane, his lips just barely skimming my clit.

Edward crawled behind me, pushing my robe the rest of the way off. His hands cupped my heavy breasts, fingers pinching and plucking at my nipples. I was already on edge, already almost there.

"You comfortable?" Jasper asked, then darted his tongue out to lick a long line between my lips and over my clit.

"Yeah," I said, gulping hard and closing my eyes.

Jasper hummed against my clit, his lips surrounding and sucking it into his mouth. I pushed my hips forward against him as my orgasm began.

"Oh, god."

Edward's mouth covered mine, his lips pressing hard. My hands moved from Jasper's hair up to Edward's, holding him against me since I couldn't scream like I wanted. Jasper slowed what he was doing, but didn't stop. His tongue slid between my lower lips several times, and it was only then that I had a moment to be self-conscious about the fact that I hadn't had a wax recently. I needed to call Rose and beg her to fit me in soon.

With that thought, my legs closed a bit and I moved my attention back to getting Jasper up to my mouth, although he certainly didn't seem to mind.

"Come here," I said, tugging on his ears as I giggled.

He kissed a path up my legs, stopping to pay attention to my belly. The way he and Edward worshipped me never failed to remind me how lucky I was to have such supportive partners in life, but in that moment, I realized that they also never failed to make me feel like an amazingly gorgeous, sexual creature. Even five months pregnant.

His lips met mine and the feeling of his tongue in my mouth reminded me of when it had been much lower. The taste and smell of myself all over him, now all over me, made me want him even more. I wanted someone inside me, needed them both inside of me, I decided.

Because it wasn't safe for me to lie on my back, I had to run through a mental list of positions we could be in. I really wanted them both, but I decided I wasn't in the mood for the slow pace a spooning position would require. I wanted hard and hot and fast and _now_. I got down on the floor on my knees, and looked up at Edward. All it took was one arch of my eyebrow and he was behind me.

"You, too," I said, looking at Jasper and motioning to the floor.

Without wasting time, he got down and positioned himself in front of me. Edward's hands were smoothing over the swells of my hips, and I moved against him, brushing back and forth. Jasper had brought a throw pillow down with him, and propped his head up to watch me. If he wanted a show, I'd give him a show.

I licked my lips and looked down at the pretty purple ridge of his cock. Edward entered me and I had to close my eyes for a moment, the sensation so overwhelmingly full of pleasure. He began a steady rhythm and I opened my eyes again, snaking my tongue out to trace the ridge I'd admired moments earlier. I took my time, teasing him as I licked up and down the length of him before I wrapped my lips around the head of his cock.

As I sank my mouth down around him, I looked up and met his eyes again. We watched each other, and he looked up and over me at Edward, too. Jasper's eyes came back to mine and I watched his lips as he mouthed _fuck_. I winked, then tilted my head so I could focus on what I was doing. The way Edward was swiveling his hips behind me had me distracted again, and I needed all the extra concentration I could get.

I moved my hands, shifting my weight and leaning down on my elbows. I wanted to be able to touch Jasper, too, and made sure I was stable before I stroked up and down in time with my mouth. The fingers on my other hand teased and tickled the hair on his thigh and I moved slowly. Squeezing at the base of his cock, I lifted my mouth, sucking the entire time.

Baring my teeth, I nipped carefully at the head, knowing how much he liked it. Jasper flexed his hips up, and I backed away, looking up and smiling at him. I wanted to control the pace. When Edward thrust faster, one of his hands moving to rub my clit, I had to suck in a breath. I suddenly realized I needed to get serious and stop teasing, though. As Edward touched and fucked me, I did the best I could to bring Jasper closer to his orgasm. I hummed against him, deep in my mouth, and pulled out every trick I knew.

It worked, and moments later, he was an incoherent mess, thrusting up into my mouth as he came. I swallowed quickly, then licked and lapped at him as he softened in my hands. Edward was still behind me, still touching and bringing me higher as he moved. His fingers pressed against my clit harder, and I rested my forehead on Jasper's abdomen as I came, my whole body tightening. A strangled noise escaped and after I'd come, the temptation to collapse was immense.

Instead, I pushed back against Edward, giving him more friction and resistance. It felt amazing, even though I didn't have the energy or patience to try for a third orgasm. When he came, his hands gripped my body fiercely, his voice stolen away, and his body stilled, buried inside me.

"Shit," he said, suddenly brought back to reality. "I forgot to grab a towel."

"Don't use my robe!"

Jasper stood up, laughing, and casually walked back to the bathroom. It was part hilarious, part humiliating kneeling there, waiting for him to come back so we could deal with the inevitable mess. When Jasper returned, he threw the hand towel at Edward and I laughed, which didn't help the situation.

By the time we made it to bed, we'd stopped in the kitchen for a late-night snack. I blamed the baby I was hosting, while they were just dudes and could eat whatever the fuck they wanted. Once our bellies were full, we crawled into bed, smiling. I knew we'd all be dragging ass in the morning, but it was worth it. Every last moment was worth the loss of sleep, and besides, we could nap since Esme would have Emma.

When Edward's alarm went off, I groaned.

"It can't be eight already," I whined.

"Sorry, sweets," Jasper said, kissing my temple. "Sleep a bit more. I'll come wake you up in a bit, once Edward and I are out of the shower."

"Aw, man, you're gonna shower together?"

Jasper laughed. "Well, you decide. You can sleep in or you can come get wet."

"I love you. Sleeping now."

The next time I woke up, it was to sticky fingers and giggles.

"Mama, waffes!"

"Yes, baby, I can taste the syrup all over your hands. Who made you waffles?"

"Dada!"

"Let's go find him, shall we?"

In the kitchen, Edward and Jasper were tangled together.

"Hey," I said, playfully snapping a towel against Edward's ass. "Not that I want to break this up, but Jasper, now that I've been woken up with a maple-syrup-covered finger up my nose, did you save any waffles for me?"

"Oh shit," he said, having the decency to look chagrinned. "Sorry. Of course there are waffles for you. And bacon. Go sit down and I'll fix you a plate."

"Thank you," I said, giving them each a kiss on the cheek and walking to the table.

"You excited for Maddy's birthday party?" I asked Emma, who sat next to me at the table.

"Yes, Mama."

I rubbed my nose against hers and we laughed together.

"You excited to stay the night with Grandma?"

"Ohh yes," she said, nodding vigorously.

Jasper set my plate in front of me and sat down next to me.

"So I was thinking about that lawsuit," he said. It took me a minute to even remember what he might mean; it had been the furthest thing from my mind. "I want to do it."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thank you to legna989 for being amazing and answering legal questions. I know this is "just fic" but I really like to keep my storylines true-to-life, including the little details. I couldn't do that without help from this amazing community.**

**Thank you to my beta, TwilightMundi, who is just amazing, even if she's never had chocolate-covered cinnamon bears.**

**Thank you to YOU, those of you that read this story. Thank you if you read and leave a review. I'm all caught up now on review replies! Whew. Thanks for your patience there.**

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners; the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

* * *

><p>"<em>So I was thinking about that lawsuit," he said. It took me a minute to even remember what he might mean; it had been the furthest thing from my mind. "I want to do it.<em>

"Don't say anything right now, though," he said. "Just trust me."

Edward sat down, bringing his cup of coffee and Jasper's. "What shall we do after Emma is off?" he asked.

"Movies? Dinner?" I threw out random suggestions.

"We never did get to swim yesterday," Jasper said. "Could we maybe fit in a quick trip to the pool?"

"Sounds good to me. Swim, then shower and dinner, then take it from there?" Edward asked. "If you're too tired," he said, looking at me, "we can call it a night. If you're up for it, we can go to the movies or something."

I nodded, inhaling my waffles and bacon.

{.}

After the party, Esme came to the house and picked up Emma, along with a bag of stuff she'd need.

"Be good for Grandma," I said, kissing Emma's nose.

"I will, Mama. Bye, Daddy! Bye, Dada!"

She waved and was gone before I could think too much about it. I knew she was safe when she was with Esme, but I was still worried.

"Ready?" I asked the boys. "I need to pack a small bag real quick, but then I'll be ready to go."

"Yeah, same," Edward said. He grabbed Jasper's hand and we walked to the bedroom, each packing a gym bag with a fresh outfit to wear out to dinner.

"Are we going someplace fancy or casual?" I asked, waffling between jeans and a dress.

"Casual?" Jasper asked.

Edward nodded, so I packed the jeans and a cute blouse.

In the locker room, I changed into my swimsuit and felt like a duck, waddling to the pond. Once I got in the water, though, I felt amazing. Light and bouncy, I swam laps in the same lane as Edward. Jasper was faster than both of us, so he kept to his own lane, occasionally coming up to get a drink of water and smile at me. Exercise had never felt so sexy or so much like foreplay.

After we were done swimming, I took a long shower. I was glad I'd packed a razor to shave my legs, but I nearly cried with frustration attempting to use it. There were parts of my legs I could still get to, but definitely other parts I had a hard time reaching. Instead of cutting myself up trying to get every last spot, I put the razor away. And maybe pouted a little. I hadn't anticipated being so big already; I'd definitely gotten bigger, faster in my second pregnancy.

I dried off and got dressed, then sent Alice and Rose a text asking if they could do a girl's spa day anytime soon.

Jasper and Edward were waiting in the lounge area of the gym when I came out.

"Sorry I took so long."

"It's okay. We weren't waiting very long," Jasper said.

It always amused me the way Jasper and Edward acted in certain places. When we were out in a restaurant, they didn't hold back showing their affection for each other, but the gym was one of those places that was still taboo for them. They never held hands, or looked at each other too long. As we walked out, my amusement morphed to sadness. I couldn't imagine having to deny such an essential part of myself in certain places. How did they ever keep track of it all? Did they ever slip up? Why did they even bother to do it, still?

"Why is the gym an off-limits place?" I asked in the car.

"What?" Edward asked.

"You guys, you have places where you never even look at each other for more than two seconds."

Edward looked over at Jasper.

"I don't think we realized we were doing it," Edward said.

"Huh," I said. "Interesting."

"If you had a girlfriend, would you hold her hand in the locker room, or kiss her?" he asked.

"Hmmm." I tried to put myself in their place. "No, because it would make other people potentially feel awkward. I wouldn't want them to think I was looking at them that way, too, you know?"

"Exactly," Jasper said.

{.}

After dinner, we went home. I was tired from the swimming and just wanted to get out of my clothes and relax.

"So, I talked to Dad about the cruise in May," Edward said. "He picked the Bahamas, since Mom has always wanted to go there. I told him to just book us a suite when he does his."

"Wait, how do we get a passport for this little one?" I asked, rubbing my belly.

"No clue. I'll look into it on Monday," Jasper said. "Don't worry about it."

Everyone was slowly undressing and I smiled to myself. I looked forward to a night of calm and quiet, and the following morning of sleeping in.

We made our usual pillow fort in the living room, and settled under the blankets. After the first movie we watched, everyone was considerably more handsy. Jasper's fingers were moving around my leg, but stopped suddenly.

"What in the world do you have going on down here?" he asked, diving under the blanket. He lifted the covers so he could see, then crawled back up to look at me. "What did you do to your legs?"

"I can't reach anymore," I said, embarrassed and trying to pull my leg away from his grip.

"I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, sweets," he said. "I'll help you shave tomorrow, okay?"

The idea of him shaving my legs was kind of hot and I nodded.

"Thank you," I said.

"My pleasure, truly," he said, winking at me.

{.}

Monday rolled around and I was eager for my ultrasound. Esme came along with us to entertain Emma in the waiting room.

"Okay, Mrs. Swan," the nurse said, "step on to the scale, please."

My name felt wrong coming from her, in this situation. I wasn't Mrs. Swan at all, but I didn't correct her. Instead, I tried to make a note in my head to get the name changed so Emma and I would at least match.

In the room, I stripped my lower-half and got ready. I was so excited, and I could tell both boys were, too. They took their spots on either side of me and the tech came in to do the ultrasound. After she squirted the jelly on and snapped a few pictures with the wand, she asked if we wanted to know the gender. All three of us said "yes" at the same time.

She shook her head and laughed, pausing an image on the screen.

"There's your baby girl," she said, pointing at the genitals.

I started to cry, imagining Emma and her little sister. Squeezing both of their hands, I cried and laughed until the tech was done and I'd been wiped clean. Jasper and Edward were both clearly emotional, but not on the same level I was. I'd never had a sibling, much less a sister, and I was so happy to be able to give Emma that gift. I could only hope they would be close, and I vowed to do everything I could to foster their connection, something I'd have hoped for and done regardless of the gender, I realized.

"You two are in for it. I'll finally have even numbers against you," I said, laughing a little.

They looked rightfully afraid.

We walked to the waiting room when my appointment was over, and Emma ran into Edward's arms.

"You're gonna have a little sister!" he told her, and they clapped together, although I doubted Emma realized what it actually meant.

To celebrate, we all went out for ice cream. Edward went to work after, and Jasper, Emma, and I went home.

{.}

"So, I've been thinking about what I want," Jasper said once Emma was down for her nap.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, from the paper. I want a million dollars, and I want it to all go to charity."

I smiled at Jasper's never-ending graciousness.

"Have you thought of which charity?" I asked.

"The Swan-Whitlock-Cullen Foundation for Kids."

"The what? I feel like I'm missing a critical piece of information."

My brain had been foggy lately, but I didn't think it had been bad enough to miss us forming a foundation.

"I want to create a place where underprivileged kids can go and play sports. Maybe do a summer intensive for kids wanting to learn more and up their game."

"Seriously?" I asked.

Everything required to start an organization like that flew through my mind. We'd need a building, possibly a board of directors, and more paperwork than I could ever handle alone.

"Yeah," he said. "Do you think that's not a good idea?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"No, I think it's a great idea, I just …" I paused, looking for the right words. "I'm overwhelmed by your generosity and beauty. And that's a lot of work ahead of us."

"I have another small request," he said, sheepishly. "When you file the paperwork for the legal stuff, can you submit the name change for me?"

"Seriously?" I asked in a whisper.

He nodded, and I practically tackled him.

"Please don't tell Edward though. I want to surprise him for Christmas."

The rest of the afternoon wasn't at all productive, unless you count orgasms.

{.}

"What about massage school?" I asked Jasper on Tuesday, having had enough time to really process what he'd said and asked.

"I'm not sure how this will change that," he said. "Maybe I'll go for sports therapy so I can help out with the camp? Massage therapy would help, too. I don't know yet."

"Well, I talked to my friend and she wrote up a demand letter. What we're seeking is a retraction of the story, an apology, and the donation to your foundation. She's also getting the paperwork going on the foundation. That should be done by the end of the week, since I asked her to expedite it. I hope you're prepared for her bill," I said, laughing.

"What about the name change?"

"Well, I'm going to do mine at the same time I do yours. Hearing that nurse call me Mrs. Swan reminded me I hadn't done it yet."

"Do you think Edward will want to change his, too?" he asked.

"Yeah, probably, but I want it to be up to him."

Jasper nodded. "I'm going to run to the grocery store; you need anything?"

Thanksgiving was the upcoming Thursday, and I looked forward to seeing everyone. We were hosting a giant dinner again, with all of our family, plus Alice's family. Everyone was bringing a dish, and Jasper had volunteered to cook the turkey, so I was getting the day off. And there would be all that pie.

"We need milk," I said. "Oh, and maybe some chocolate-covered cinnamon bears?"

"You got it, babe," he said, leaning down to kiss me. "Be right back."

While he was gone, I talked to Alice on the phone and we made plans to do our spa day in a few weeks, when she and Rose would both be free from work and Emmett could watch the kids.

Jasper still wasn't back and Emma was taking her nap, so I dragged a pillow and blanket to the couch and snuck in a nap of my own. When I woke up, there was a container of the bears I'd asked for, along with a card. I carefully opened the card and began to cry. It was one of those cheesy Hallmark-esque cards, full of flowery lines of appreciation. Jasper must've stopped at Edward's office to have him sign it, because there were notes from each of them, thanking me for everything I do. In a mostly thankless job, I was grateful they still thanked me and made me feel useful and cherished. It wasn't constant, and we all had our bad days, but it was lovely when it happened.

{.}

On Thanksgiving, Esme came over first. She joined us at the kitchen table for a cup of coffee, pulling out her lists and recipes.

"So Jasper, you're going to do the turkey and I've got potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Sue is making pie, too, and bringing rolls."

I moaned. "I'm starving already. Can it be dinnertime?"

"Not unless you want to eat raw turkey," Jasper said. "And I somehow doubt Doctor Cullen would allow that."

"What can I do to help get this show on the road, then?"

"You can relax and brew my granddaughter," Esme said, rubbing my belly.

"Are you sure I can't help with anything?"

"You can set the table, how about that?" Esme said.

"Perfect," I said, smiling. "I hate feeling useless."

"When are Alice, Rose, Emmett, and the kids coming over?" Edward asked.

"Noon," I said. "You guys going to do something fun?"

Edward had agreed to help with watching the kids so Alice, Rose, and I could catch up. It felt like it had been months since we'd all been in the same room together.

"Yeah, we're going to head up to the park for a bit, then maybe a movie," he said. "Depends on how everyone is behaving."

Watching Esme and Jasper as they continued to pore over the plans made me giggle again. They had a schedule and everything.

Charlie and Sue showed up around eleven, and the TV was changed over to the sports channel, which drew Jasper's attention now and then. It was funny to watch him pop into the room to check sports scores, then half-run back to the kitchen.

When Emma woke up from her nap, Charlie was right there to change her diaper and play with her.

"I didn't get to do much of this when you were little," he said, his voice full of regret. "You're lucky to be able to be with her."

"I know, and I love you, Dad, you know that. You more than make up for it now."

He smiled at me, then took Emma to the backyard to play tag.

"Hey," Jasper said, sitting next to me. "They out back?"

"Yep, playing tag."

"Good," he said, moving closer. His lips were soft, but pressed against mine with need. "I hate kissing you like this around your dad."

I put my hand around the back of his head, pulling him closer to me. Edward moved to where we were, joining the kiss. It was sloppy, but perfect in its imperfections.

Esme cleared her throat and the three of us broke apart, laughing at being caught.

"Sorry to interrupt. I need help rotating and basting the turkey." She was smiling, but looked genuinely chagrined at having to stop us.

"It's okay," Jasper said, getting up to help her. "I'm the turkey man, I got it."

Edward held my hand after he left, and we had a moment of quiet together.

"Hey, have you thought about what you're going to get Jasper for Christmas yet?" he asked.

"Nope," I said. "You have any brilliant ideas?"

"Not really. I was hoping you would have some."

"I'll let you know if I come up with anything," I said. "What are we gonna get Emma?"

"Maybe a new playset for the backyard?" he suggested.

"That's actually a really good idea."

"We can go look next Friday, after work?"

"Yeah. I'll let Jasper know and maybe we'll take Emma to run around and play, see which one she likes?"

"Perfect," he said.

Alice and her crew showed up right at noon, and they all walked down to the park around the corner from our house. Charlie went with them, so I was alone, watching TV for a few hours. When they came back to the house, Edward put Emma down for her second nap, and then they all went to the movies, as planned, minus baby Evan, who was too little still.

Around the dinner table, it was loud and full of happiness. There were small, sticky hands, and grown-up jokes and conversation.

"Thank you all for being here," Edward said, lifting his wine glass. "It's been an interesting year. We couldn't have made it through any of it without all of you." He paused and I could tell he was holding tears back, which made them well up in my eyes, too. "We are lucky to have a family made up of all of you around us, surrounding us and loving us unconditionally. Here's to a better year next year."

Each of our glasses touched the other, Avery and Sadie, Rose, Emmett, and Alice's two oldest girls joining in with sparkling apple cider, just like me.

"Thank you," Jasper said quietly every time the curve of his glass kissed another. He made eye contact with each person he thanked, and it choked me up even more.

I used my napkin to dab a few tears, then went back to eating. By the time dinner was over and Charlie, Edward, and Emmett had cleaned up the dishes, I was ready to lie on the couch for a few hours. Not that my day had been strenuous at all, but the food just sat in my belly along with the tumbling spawn, and didn't make for a good combination.

Hours later, after everyone left, I was wiped out. I didn't know how Jasper was even still upright, never mind seemingly full of energy. Yawning, I excused myself to bed just as the two of them curled together.

"Don't wake me up," I said, laughing.

"We promise to try and be quiet," Edward said. "Sure you can't stay? I'll make it worth your while."

I smiled. I really did want to stay, but I knew even with their attention, I'd be out like a light in a few minutes.

"I love you. Save some dirty energy for me for later this weekend?"

"Absolutely," he said, kissing me.

"You too," I said to Jasper.

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay, sweet one," I said, walking to the bedroom. Or, waddling. "Mommy needs some sleep, so settle down in there."

As I tried to sleep, I thought about baby names. We hadn't really discussed it much, but we still had a few names we'd talked about before Emma was born. I was nervous at the idea of taking a cruise when she was just a few weeks old, but Edward had assured me it was safe. We'd just need to pack a little extra. And her passport would have to be dealt with still. I needed to check in with my friend and see how the foundation paperwork was going. Last time we talked, she was just waiting on one last thing. I'd hoped to have it registered by Thanksgiving in case the paper responded, but there was nothing I could do about it.

My mind raced from thought to thought, a million worries about things going on around us, until finally I fell asleep well after midnight.

{.}

The next week, the foundation became official. After I'd hung up the phone and told Jasper, we decided to plan a dinner out to celebrate. Christmas was only a few weeks away and he decided to tell Edward about the foundation early, saving the name change for Christmas day.

"Should we invite Carlisle and Esme?" I asked.

"Definitely," Jasper said.

He squeezed my hand and I called Esme to invite them. Rose had agreed to watch Emma so we could go out to a nicer place, just the adults. After we dropped Emma off, we met Carlisle, Edward, and Esme at the restaurant.

Jasper ordered a bottle of champagne after we were seated, and I asked the waiter to fill my glass with water.

"So, today is the official first day of the Swan-Cullen-Whitlock Foundation," Jasper said. "I wanted to tell you all together, and explain what my vision is."

Edward looked at me, confused, and I smiled at him.

"When the magazine printed the story about me not going back because I was ashamed, it took a lot of soul-searching to figure out if I was trying hard enough. Well, soul-searching and therapy. I really second-guessed myself and questioned if I was trying hard enough. Was I running fast enough on the treadmill? Working out hard enough while lifting weights? Was I hurting because of my injury or because of my pride?

"I even went to a second doctor for an independent evaluation. I wanted someone that didn't know me, or you guys, to look me in the eye and tell me the truth. I wanted to be absolutely certain I wasn't being coddled. Once I was sure that it was really my leg, and not my brain holding me back, I wanted to unleash on them. As Bella said to me, I wanted to make them bleed money."

He paused and smiled at me.

"Then I realized that wouldn't help anyone. Anything I could demand that they'd likely pay would be a drop in the bucket for such a huge corporation. Since we don't really need the money, I wanted to do something good with it. I don't know if I'll go to massage school now, because over the last few months, this has begun to whisper in my ear and show all the ways I can help people.

"I want kids to have a safe place they can learn about sports; how to play, how to compete, and just to have fun if they aren't interested in competition. I want to teach them and laugh with them, and help them when they're hurt. I could think of no better thank you for everything everyone at this table has done than to call it the Swan-Cullen-Whitlock foundation. I hope you don't mind."

By the time he finished, Esme was wiping her eyes, and Carlisle and Edward were visibly moved. My hand was intertwined with his beneath the table, and he squeezed it periodically. I'd never been more proud of him and his choices. The baby in my belly kicked where our hands were joined, diverting his attention momentarily.

"Apparently Baby C-W has something to add," Jasper said, laughing.

"She's proud of her daddy, too," I said.

"Jasper, I think I speak for Esme and myself when I say we're just spilling over with pride. You've been the best partner we could have asked for, for our son. Not only that, but you both gave us Bella, too. And beautiful grandchildren, to boot. That you want to include us in this is beyond amazing. Thank you."

Carlisle lifted his hand to his eye, wiping a tear, as he stood up to hug Jasper.

"Yes," Esme said, hiccuping with another round of tears. "What he said."

Everyone stood and hugged, not the fake one-arm hug some people do, but the kind of hugs people are meant to give family. Of course, except for me, since my belly was mostly in the way.

I couldn't wait for Edward to get the second half of his Christmas gift, knowing it would touch him deeply. It was right then that I realized what he could get Jasper.

"You should change your last name," I said to him later that night, when Jasper had gone to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Sure, it was devious — I knew Jasper was changing his, and so was I. We would finally all match, and in my opinion, there couldn't have been a better time to do it.

"That's a great idea," Edward said. "Think he's ready to change his?"

I had to bite my cheek to keep the laugh from spilling out. "Maybe soon?" I said.

{.}

On Friday, Alice, Rose, and I spent the day together. We started at the spa with the whole deal — a facial, massage, manicures and pedicures, and then haircuts. We even had our makeup done. I felt so fancy and a little silly putting on my t-shirt and enormous. pregnancy jeans after.

"Shall we hit the mall for some shopping?" I asked.

"Yeah," Alice said. "I need to get a few things for the kids still."

"You know," Rose said, as we walked around the mall. "We should make this a yearly tradition. We seem to end up doing a spa and shopping day right before Christmas anyway."

"That's a great idea," I said, smiling.

"YES!" Alice said, bouncing up and down. "I love it when we do girls' days."

My phone rang as we were in line to grab a pretzel, and I was surprised to see it was Edward.

"Hey, baby," I said salaciously.

"Bella, I'm sorry to interrupt your day," he said, his voice frantic. "I need you to come to the hospital as soon as you can."

"What's wrong? Is it Jasper?"

I felt dizzy with fear and worry. Looking around, I found a chair to sit in. Rose and Alice were next to me in an instant.

"No, it's Dad."


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you to TwilightMundi, who is beyond words amazing. Thank you to kimpy0464, who answered way more medical questions than anyone ever should have to.**

**Thank you for each and every review you leave. They make me laugh, they sometimes make me cry, but they are always invaluable to me. **

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners; the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

* * *

><p>"<em>What's wrong? Is it Jasper?" <em>

_I felt dizzy with fear and worry. Looking around, I found a chair to sit in. Rose and Alice were next to me in an instant._

"_No, it's Dad."_

"What?" I put my head between my knees. Well, as much as I could with a basketball in the way. "What's wrong? Where are you? Which hospital? Oh, God."

"Take a deep breath," Alice said, rubbing my back.

"You need to get me to the hospital," I said. "Right now. _Please._"

We stood up and started walking as fast as we could to Alice's car.

"Okay, sweetie," Alice said. "Is something wrong with Jasper?"

"It's Carlisle," I whispered.

"Oh. Where are we headed?"

"Edward?" I asked, almost out of breath.

"Seattle General," he said. "Hurry, please."

He sounded beyond broken. I didn't even have time to ask if Jasper was already there before he hung up. I buckled my seat belt and Alice drove as fast as she could. Rose sat next to me in the back seat, her hand on my shoulders as I bent over, trying to hold back the waves of nausea.

By the time we arrived, I flew out of the car and dry-heaved into the bushes. A few emergency room employees gathered around me, but I waved them off, Alice and Rose letting them know I was there for someone else.

"Please," I said to the nurse at the station. I'm here to see Carlisle Cullen."

"And you are?"

"I'm Bella," I paused. _Shit._ I knew from Jasper's accident that they wouldn't let anyone except immediate family back. My face crumpled.

"I'm sorry," the nurse said, looking genuinely apologetic. "Unless you're family, you'll have to wait in the waiting room." She pointed to a room full of people, and I wondered if Jasper was in there with Emma.

"She's his daughter-in-law," Alice clarified, giving me a look like I had two heads.

Technically untrue, but true enough.

The nurse raised an eyebrow, but pointed toward a room with a curtain. Alice and Rose hugged me and walked to the waiting room. Inside the room, Edward and Esme were sitting next to Carlisle.

"I'm so glad you're here," Edward said, pulling me close. He looked shattered, pale and sick with worry.

When he let go, I hugged Esme, and then shuffled my feet for a minute, uncertain if I should hug Carlisle or not. He seemed to be resting, so I stood next to Edward instead.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just stressed," I said. I still felt like I might throw up again, or pass out. My blood pressure was no doubt sky-high. "And I need something to eat. Can you update me? Where are Jasper and Emma?"

"They're in the waiting room. Do you want to go stay with them, grab something to eat?"

He stood up and helped me up, then we walked out of the room.

"I didn't want to talk in there on the off chance we woke him up again. He seems fine now, he's resting. He keeps telling me to go back to the office, but Mom already canceled everything for the day. They've done a 12-lead EKG, and he's been hooked up to a monitor for a few hours now.

"We won't really know the extent of the damage until more tests are done, but right now, it looks like he had a very mild heart attack. He got lucky."

"Thank God you're here," Jasper said, jumping up to hug me.

"What's going on?" Alice asked.

"Carlisle had a heart attack, best they can guess," Edward said, repeating everything he'd told me. "I'm going to go back and see if his room is ready, okay?"

We all nodded and he disappeared. I watched as he walked away, looking tired and defeated with his shoulders slumped.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked, pulling back to look at me. "You don't look so good."

"I threw up a few times," I said. "I'll be fine. I just need to sit and maybe find some crackers."

I leaned down to hug Emma, who was repeatedly saying my name and tugging at my shirt.

"When was the last time you ate?" Jasper asked.

"Well, we were in line for pretzels when Edward called, so… this morning," I said, looking down at the floor.

"I'll be right back," Alice said. "I know where the caf is. You want anything, Jasper? Rose?"

Rose asked for a cup of tea, and Jasper declined anything. We sat down, leaning against each other in our chairs. Jasper's hand went to my belly.

"Don't get too stressed," he said. "Gotta keep it calm for our girl in there."

"I'm trying. I'll feel better once I've had something to eat."

A few minutes later, Edward came out and updated us.

"I'm so glad it's not serious," Jasper said, squeezing Edward's hand.

"Hopefully we'll all be home tonight," Edward said. "They're setting up his room right now. We'll all be able go to in there, and you can see him. Sorry you couldn't come into the room here."

"It's okay," Jasper said. "Frustrating, but rules are rules."

I quickly swallowed back the ache and hurt of the truth. I hated that we all weren't connected, and decided that I'd start looking up how we could join our lives legally, as we had emotionally and spiritually. We needed to make plans in case something happened to one of us, God forbid. What if Edward was hurt and Jasper couldn't get in to see him, or if I was hurt and the staff would only let one of the boys in? Just the idea made tears swell in my eyes.

Edward moved closer to Jasper and me, his knees framing one of each of ours, and we wrapped our arms around each other.

"I love you, both of you, so much," I said, sniffling as I felt the tears land onto Edward's shoulder.

They both whispered their love back to me, each of us kissing quickly.

"I have to run," Edward said. "I'll text you as soon as I have a room number, but you might want to make your way over to the cardiac wing, since that's where he'll be. I love you."

"We'll just wait for Alice?" I asked Jasper.

"You guys can go ahead," Rose said. "I can wait and walk over with her if you want."

"I think I'd like to nibble on what she brings back before we go," I said, sheepishly. I rubbed my belly, the hunger overwhelming me now that I knew Carlisle was going to be fine. "If that's okay?"

"Of course it is," Rose said, laughing. "I just didn't want you to have to wait."

Alice showed up a few minutes later carrying a tray full of food. "Maybe we should eat outside?" she asked. It's raining a little bit still, but there are some covered tables."

"Why don't you just let me munch on this granola bar as we walk?" I suggested. "We can head toward the cardiac area, you know where that is, right?"

Alice nodded, handing me the bar. "Perfect."

We walked silently, following Alice's lead. All I could think about was what was going to happen to everything now? Would Edward have to run the practice alone? Would I need to go help him? Would Esme need to take care of Carlisle full time? Just how impaired or sick would he be, going forward?

I realized we were at the next waiting room and sat down next to Alice, planning which food I'd devour next. Once I'd picked a fruit bowl, I opened it and practically inhaled the food. We waited quietly, the four of us, for Edward to text or call us with some news.

Well, we waited quietly until I got antsy. And I had to get up to pee at least five times, which was distracting to the whole group. Alice and Rose were sort of huddled in a corner, reading on Alice's phone and texting back and forth with Emmett, apparently.

Finally, what felt like an eternity later, Edward appeared in the lobby.

"You can come in," he said, reaching out for Jasper and me. "We're not supposed to have you in here, but Alice talked to the nurse on duty."

It was scary to be there, inside Carlisle's hospital room — not just because technically we weren't supposed to be. Carlisle was supposed to be the man with the white coat on, not some sterile stranger. Everything felt wrong, as I looked around. I immediately gravitated to Esme, burying my head in her chest and allowing her warmth to spread over me.

"It's okay," she said, rocking me back and forth.

There was no way to contain myself anymore, pregnancy and stress and seeing one of my rocks in my life lying in the bed… it was too much.

Esme ran her hand over my hair as I pulled back. "He's going to be okay, I promise." She smiled, her hands joining mine and squeezing.

"I'm sorry, it just all came over me at once," I said.

Jasper had grabbed a few tissues and ran them gently along my cheeks.

Edward still looked so full of concern, it felt like either Esme didn't know the full extent of what was going on, or she was downplaying.

"Sit down, sweetheart," Edward said, pulling a chair up for me at the foot of Carlisle's bed. Once I sat, everyone else did the same, Edward and Esme on either side of Carlisle and Jasper off to the side, closer to me.

"I promise not to die," Carlisle said, laughing. "Well, today, anyway." He winked and I barked a laugh out, putting my head in my hands.

"Not funny! You have to be around for a long time," I said.

"I'm going to do my best," he promised, our eyes holding their connection a beat longer than would be normal.

He looked older than I'd seen him, or maybe I just hadn't noticed life marching on around me. Were the lines in his face as prominent the week before?

"Maybe now you'll start running with me," Edward chastised.

I turned and looked at him, all smile and upbeat, but I could see the weariness underneath. I'm sure Carlisle and Esme could, too; I don't know who he thought he was fooling.

"I can't see how I can say no now," Carlisle said. "Besides, your mother's probably already called someone to take any fun food out of the house. How else will I sneak out to get my donuts?"

It was reassuring to hear him joking, and to see him laughing.

He was going to be okay. He _had_ to be okay. He was the patriarch of this family, my family, and we all needed him.

{.}

Carlisle was released the following day with a few more bottles added to his usual prescriptions. He had a follow-up appointment on Monday with a cardiologist, a friend of his that managed to squeeze him in sooner than most could, which we were all grateful for.

On Saturday, we had plans to take a family photo. I'd asked Edward if he wanted to postpone, but he seemed to have gotten a decent night of sleep and Emma was in a good mood, so we decided to go ahead with it. When we got there, I was excited because the photographer had a lot of great ideas, and one of my favorites from the digital proofs ended up being a picture with Edward on one side of me, Jasper on the other, and Emma standing on a wooden step-stool, hands on either side of my belly, kissing my baby bump.

I could imagine exactly where I'd put it in the house, and it made the stress of the day before seem lighter.

We took dinner to Esme and Carlisle's house that evening. Around their huge table, there was a symphony of noise. It was happy noise, playful noise even. Emma was sitting between Carlisle and Esme, and Edward, Jasper, and I were on the other side. It again felt so normal and easy and happy.

"So, Bella, what does little miss want or need for Christmas?" Esme asked.

I had to laugh at that question. There was practically nothing she wanted for, although we teetered the fine line between giving her enough and giving her too much.

"You know very well she doesn't need anything at all, Mom," I said. "If you want to get her something, just please make it something small, and just one thing."

"Fun stealer," she mumbled while smiling at me. "So, Edward... Your father is going to take the next two weeks off. I don't want to hear an argument from either of you. You can manage the office just fine alone, especially with Alice there to help now. You should still take half-days on Friday, though, I think. You might have to work longer hours, and for that, I'm truly sorry, but I know you understand how serious things are."

Carlisle sat quietly, a smirk on his face. He was a strong man and certainly didn't need Esme to do his talking, but I'm sure he appreciated the fierce way she loved him and would do anything for him.

"Of course," Edward said. "Whatever you need."

"Do you want me to come in and help out?" I asked between bites. "I can play office manager again."

"No, you just keep that little one safe and happy," she said. "If I need help, I'll let you know, but I think between Alice and the rest of the staff, it should be fine. Besides, aren't you still helping Jasper with the foundation?"

"Oh, I am."

If only she'd seen our dining room table — it was covered with papers and books. There was stuff from the lawyer to review and sign, then the things we needed to handle if Jasper wanted a physical building. We'd decided to wait until after the first of the year to even look at buildings and talk about leases or purchase, giving us time to hopefully get through the first wave of work that needed to be done. I was glad he was tackling the majority of the work since he had the vision and knew what he wanted. I was just there to help where I could.

"Do you want me to host Christmas dinner?" I asked.

"No, I can still do it," she said. "Your dad and Sue are coming, right?"

I nodded.

"It'll be great to be together," she said. "Are you guys spending the morning at your house?"

"That's the plan," Edward said. "That way Emma can wake up there and we can exchange gifts. What time should we come over?"

"Whenever," Carlisle said. "We can always play and have fun, right Miss Emma?"

"Yeah!"

"Do you need to get any more Christmas shopping done, Bella?" Esme asked. "Maybe we could go this week?"

"That sounds good. How about Thursday?"

"Sure," she said. "I'll pick you up."

{.}

We spent Sunday being lazy. Edward knew the week ahead at work would be insane; he was planning to go in at least an hour early, and would need to stay several hours late to make up for being the only one there. While I was glad the practice was thriving, I was worried about how it would impact our family.

When I laid Emma down for her nap, I took a quick, hot shower. I pulled on some comfy pajama pants and a warm thermal shirt, then burrowed myself between Edward and Jasper. I wanted to make the most of the last few hours we'd have uninterrupted by real life. Turning their attention away from the TV, I wiggled between them. I pulled Jasper's hands and put them on my hips as I kissed Edward.

"I need you," I said against his mouth. "Now."

I pulled his boxers down and off, then shifted my body to straddle his. Jasper sat next to us, touching and kissing and biting, participating in every way he could. Edward's hand cupped my breast, his thumb sliding over my nipple, then moved over my belly to the ever-decreasing space between us.

His fingers teased my clit, slipping and sliding between my lips. I shamelessly moved my hips above his, feeling his hand and his cock, wanting both. With one of my hands braced on his shoulder, the other moved to guide him inside me. My body accepted him easily, a familiar connection that it knew by heart, and I stayed still for a brief moment. When he tried to move, I whispered, "Just wait," and busied his lips with mine. The build was intense but magic, as we kissed and his fingers continued to tease me.

When I couldn't stand it another second, I began to move. I'd intended to be slow, to crawl up the hill to my orgasm, but it was too much. I shifted my feet and angled my body so he could side deeper. Groaning, I moved faster, impatience winning. Edward's fingers pressed against my clit harder, rubbing faster. I was a little dizzy, so I gripped around his neck, steadying myself. Jasper's mouth lowered to my breast, sucking and lapping at my nipple.

Edward began to thrust up, pushing into me fast and powerfully, and I came hard. I had to change our angle, needing to hold on even more, and Jasper moved a hand between us to play and touch, instead of his mouth, since I was skin-to-skin with Edward now.

Worried he'd think I was finished, I whispered, "Don't stop." He didn't, and neither did I. For several more minutes, he continued to thrust and my body spasmed over and over. Although I knew from my last pregnancy that I could have orgasms back-to-back, this was definitely my longest orgasm. I could tell he was exhausted and we slowed down together once he'd come. The frantic need had abated somewhat, but I still wanted more.

Edward laughed, obviously clued in to the fact that I wasn't quite finished. "You're going to kill us," he said, kissing my neck. "I wish I was eighteen again."

"My turn," Jasper said, causing us all to let out a quick giggle.

He picked me up and pulled me to the floor with him, and I was reminded of My Jasper; he'd definitely regained some of his strength over the last few months of weight training. I traced his chest muscles as I moved my legs outside of his. He didn't want to wait, apparently, and buried his cock inside me quickly. I leaned back and rested my hands on his thighs, which caused me to notice how different his legs were since the accident. He was slightly smaller, but the muscle was compact and dense — and as he proved by the way he used them to gain leverage and seek his orgasm, they were no less powerful than they had been.

I held on to his thighs and Edward moved down to the floor next to us, touching our bodies. It didn't take long before I was coming again, and I could tell Jasper wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer, either. I sat up, more focused on him, and my fingernails scratched a light path over his nipples.

"Fuck," he groaned, grabbing my hips and slamming into me one last time.

"Mmm," I said, lowering myself down to once he'd loosened his grip.

"That was unexpected," he said, laughing against my collarbone as he dropped kisses there.

"Yeah?" I asked. They both mumbled yeses, which surprised me. "I feel like all I ever do is attack you guys. I'm so horny all the time. It's distracting."

"I'm pretty sure neither one of us is complaining," Jasper said.

True story, they weren't. Lucky didn't even begin to cover it.

{.}

Esme and I went shopping and I was glad to get out of the house. We took Emma with us and made a day of it, stopping for lunch. It gave us time to talk, and that was something I'd been looking forward to, as well as time to rest.

"You're almost there," she said. "A few more months. Are you getting nervous?"

"Naw. Been there, done that. I just feel huge. Way bigger than I felt with Em."

"I hear that's normal."

I nodded, eating a few more bites of my soup.

"So what do you three need for Christmas?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just you guys. I'm glad Carlisle's home. You think he's going to be okay to go back next week?"

"Oh yeah," she said. "He's already chomping at the bit to go back, actually. I'm the bitch that wants him to rest a bit more."

It always made me laugh to hear her swear.

"You just love him," I said. "I'd probably feel the same way if it was Edward or Jasper."

"How are they doing with all this?" she asked, taking a bite of her salad.

"Edward seems worried, but I think that's because he just knows more about the risks and stuff. Jasper's been quiet."

"How's the foundation going?"

"Everything's moving along. We're actually all changing our last names, in a funny twist. Jasper brought it up first, doing it for Christmas, then I realized that mine should match too, and Edward asked me the other day if I could do it for him as a surprise for Jasper."

"That'll be easier for Em, when she goes to school."

I hadn't even thought of that. Didn't I still have years and years before my baby was in school?

I nodded, then thought again about how I'd need to work things so we were legally bound to each other. I wasn't sure it would be easy, or even possible.

"Have you picked a name for the baby?"

"Nope," I said. "We're still kicking a few around."

She smiled, then asked, "Do you think you'll try for a boy?"

My hand stopped, fork mid-air to my mouth. A third child? I let the thought sit in my brain for a minute.

"Maybe?" I said, smiling. "So far, we're still doing okay keeping our heads above water, so to speak. It's been fun. I'd love to have a little boy."

"It's interesting, for sure," she said. "I still remember Edward's teen years vividly. They were tough, but I'm glad to be on the other side. It's nice to be able to be friends."

"Oh yeah? Was he an emo teen?" I asked, giggling. We'd talked about those days, and the irony that we all knew each other in high school but were in different orbits, socially.

"No, just very focused. I guess not much has changed, actually."

Emma fussed and was distracted once her lunch was gone, so we got up and did the rest of our shopping. By the end of the day, we'd gone to the mall and several other places. It took forever, given how slowly I was going.

When we got home, I wrapped what I could and left the rest hidden in the closet for another time. I was exhausted and needed to lie down with my feet up. Edward wasn't home yet, but Jasper distracted Emma, then started on dinner.

"Thanks for giving me some time to work," he said, leaning in to give me a kiss.

"You're welcome. Gonna thank me better later?" I asked, pulling him close. I was worn out, but somehow eager for more.

"As thoroughly as I can," he said.

After dinner, we gave Emma a bath and put her to bed a few minutes early. Edward had texted to say he was going to be on his way in a bit, but we drifted to our room. Jasper took my clothes off, laid me down at the edge of the bed and sank between my thighs. My fingers rubbed, scratched, and tugged at his hair as he went down on me.

I fell asleep embarrassingly fast after we'd moved up to the pillows, but woke up when I heard them next to me. They were both naked and their bodies were sliding against one another. I could tell they were trying to be quiet, but the bed was jiggling and they were making small noises. Sweet noises. Dirty noises.

I continued to watch them rub their bodies together as my fingers drifted, moving awkwardly around my belly, to touch myself. They must've noticed at some point that the other side of the bed was moving, but no one said anything. They both looked over at me at alternating times, noticing I was awake. I knew they liked being watched, and it was actually reassuring to know they had moments alone, too. It made me feel less guilty about sharing one-on-one time with one of them, knowing they needed and did the same.

Edward was on top, his body pushing harder against Jasper's, and when his knees came up to frame Edward's hips, I realized I couldn't tell if they were just wet humping or actually fucking. Not that it mattered. It was sexy and beautiful either way. They were slower than normal, although still lustful, but less rough with each other. I came the first time I heard one of their long groans, knowing they were both on the cusp of their own orgasms. Nothing was sexier than watching them together, and when they were finished and got up to shower, I had the joy of rolling over to fall back to sleep.

{.}

By Christmas Eve, Edward had closed the offices for a winter break. We stayed up late, watching the Christmas tree twinkle. I couldn't wait for everyone to open their gifts, and to see Charlie and Sue the next day, since we saw them less often than Carlisle and Esme.

The next morning, I was glad Emma had no concept of Christmas yet. Jasper got up with her and made breakfast, I discovered once I woke up wrapped in Edward.

"Merry Christmas," he said, smiling at me.

"Merry Christmas. Is that bacon I smell?"

"Probably," he laughed.

I got up and put on my robe. "What are you waiting for?" I asked, looking back at Edward.

"Nothing," he said. "Just watching you. Appreciating the view."

He got out of bed and pulled some pants on, but not before I got a glimpse of his naked body. He stretched, seemingly teasing me, and I wanted to crawl back into bed. He was tall, thin, just the right amount of chest hair, and hard. Gloriously hard.

But then covered with pants. I tried not to pout too much.

"You were the one that wanted breakfast," he said, kissing my nose. "There'll be time."

His hand slipped into mine and we walked to the kitchen. Jasper poured me a cup of half-caf coffee and as we ate, I tried not to think dirty thoughts, I swear, but suddenly, eating bacon looked really dirty.

"Hurry up," I said, distracting myself from thoughts of them sucking each other off. "I want you to open your gifts."

"Are you the first?" Jasper asked, looking at my robe that had gaped open.

"If you're lucky, although I'll probably have to be the last, given this little monkey," I said, wiggling Emma's bites of pancake in front of her.

When we sat around the tree, Emma was still confused, wanting to grab and open every box.

"Not yet, lovie," I said, pulling the envelope meant for Edward from her hands. "This one."

She sat and opened every box marked for her, which was only four. She was distracted, playing with her new toys and the boxes they came in, so I handed each of the boys their designated envelopes.

"Open them at the same time," I said. "And be careful, don't rip it."

They each got their gifts opened, then slid the papers out. Inside the envelopes were the certificates for each of our name changes.

"We all match now," I said, when they both looked up at me. "Everyone is a Whitlock-Cullen.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I have twisted a bit of canon in this chapter; I apologize if that bugs you. **

**Thank you to Legna989 for the legal information, and to Kassiah for the soccer info. Thank you and inappropriate gropes to my beta, TwilightMundi, who is faster than a speeding bullet. **

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners; the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

* * *

><p>"<em>We all match now," I said, when they both looked up at me. "Everyone is a Whitlock-Cullen."<em>

"Nothing could have been a better gift than this," Edward said.

"You tricked us," Jasper said, leaning over to tickle me.

"Oh god," I said, laughing hard. "Stop or I'll seriously pee my pants."

That got his attention and he immediately stopped, thankfully. Instead, his hands slid against my skin beneath my robe. Before I could really sink into the feeling of him teasing me, he pulled away and closed the fabric.

"Mean," I said.

"That's what you get." He handed me a beautifully wrapped box. "Here, open this."

I tried to delicately open the box, but my need to see what was inside won over my desire to be dainty. Inside was an e-reader I'd been begging for and a gift card for books.

"Perfect," I said, winding my arms around Jasper's neck. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, kissing my neck.

I settled into his lap, forgetting where we were. His hands moved beneath my robe again, stroking and exploring. As his thumbs moved over the swell of my hips, I tilted to get closer.

Edward cleared his throat and it was as if all the air in a balloon had been let out. I slumped against Jasper, who started laughing.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"It's time for my gifts," Edward said, handing me a box much smaller than Jasper's.

I unwrapped it, then pulled out a small gift certificate for a maid service.

"What's this?" I asked quietly. I was worried they thought I wasn't doing a good enough job.

"We just thought you might want some help around the house," Jasper said. "Working on the foundation has taken up so much time lately, and it's not going to slow down."

"That's true," I said. "I really am loving going to work with you, Jasper."

I decided that it was an absolutely amazing gift — the gift of time. More time with each of them, and more time for myself.

After we cleaned up the wrapping paper mess, we made lunch, then went over to Carlisle and Esme's house. We set up Emma's playpen and Edward put her down for a nap as we all worked together in the kitchen. When my dad and Sue showed up, Carlisle and Charlie made their exit to the living room, and Edward and I sat at the table, helping where we could.

By the time we'd eaten and opened the rest of the gifts, I was exhausted. Everyone else seemed to be having a great time, though, so I didn't want to leave.

"Can I go take a quick nap?" I asked Edward, yawning.

"Of course," he said, helping me stand. "I'll take you up to my room."

After he literally tucked me in and gave me a quick kiss, he was gone. I was asleep before he was down the stairs, I was sure. When I woke up, it was dark and I could hear everyone downstairs, laughing and having fun. I spent a few minutes looking around Edward's childhood bedroom; so much was the same, and I liked seeing bits and pieces of the younger version of him. I'd soaked up as much as I could, then rolled out of bed, peed, and made my way down to join them.

"You feeling okay?" Esme asked discreetly, bringing me a glass of sparkling water.

"Yeah, just tired." I smiled. "Promise, I'm fine. Just really pregnant."

We laughed and she touched my shoulder as she walked by. She might not have been my mother by birth, but she was my mother in my heart, without a doubt.

{.}

The following week, we found building space for the foundation near a field we could rent, and began to talk about how to scout kids for Jasper's soccer camp. We needed to get the invitations printed up so we could send them out by March. We wanted to give people plenty of time to get to the website, see what we were about, and make their summer plan decisions.

"You have to go the state cup," I said. "We can go and take Emma. It'll be fun."

"That sounds like a great plan," Jasper said. "Do we have a final head count for invitations?"

Jasper had brought his friend Jeff from the team on board to help us out with coaching and organizing. He'd done some volunteering with other camps and brought with him some knowledge about how to coach kids.

I looked up the number and we talked about the lists of kids being invited. We were over-inviting people since it was our first year, and we were all pretty sure attendance would be low.

In the months before the invitations went out, Jasper worked tirelessly to make sure all the right people were hired for the summer. As the cruise approached, I knew he was getting more and more nervous. We'd be practically out of contact with everyone for a week; he'd have to let go and trust Jeff to run things in his absence.

{.}

By March, I was huge, and having contractions. Nothing too major, just enough to be annoying while I was trying to work. Esme had stopped working at the practice once Carlisle went back full-time, and instead, helped us out with Emma. We had hours alone until Esme dropped her off.

"You okay?" Jeff asked. "You're grimacing an awful lot over there."

"Yep, this little one likes elbowing me in the ribs lately."

We laughed, but soon after that, Jasper decided it was time to go home for the day. I was grateful for the rest.

"Wanna go out to the pool for a bit?" Jasper asked once we'd had lunch. It was an unseasonably warm day with just a little cloud cover.

"I would love that, but I feel a little Sasquatch right now."

Jasper looked up at me all crooked grin and lasciviousness. "You know I love to help you shave."

"Can you help me get up?" I asked, reaching out to him.

I laid on the bed, body bare, as Jasper grabbed what he needed. He took his time, making sure my legs were wet first, then slicked them with shaving gel. As he stroked up with the razor, I sat up on my elbows to watch him; he had a look of intense concentration and focus.

"You know, this is probably the last time you'll have to do this before this little one comes out," I said.

"You mean the last time I'll _get_ to do it?"

I laughed and laid back down, relaxing. Somehow, a mundane chore alone had turned into a sensual act of love between us. When he was finished, he wiped my legs with a damp towel, and before I could sit up and find my swimsuit, his mouth was between my thighs.

He started slowly, as he almost always did, building me carefully to a point of blissful frustration. His tongue and teeth were soft and hard against my skin, his fingers pushed deep inside me. I couldn't see his face, couldn't really reach him, but I touched him as best I could as I tried to hold back from pushing against him and smothering him. Whenever I pushed and demanded more than he gave, he seemed to like it even more, so I'd learned not to hold back.

As his fingers slid against my g-spot, his tongue flicked and I came undone. Fisting the sheets, I let go and screamed, knowing we were alone.

"Please don't stop," I begged, feeling the second orgasm building right after the first had slowed.

He didn't, and neither did I.

When Edward got home, we were still lounging by the pool.

"Nice day?" he asked.

"The best," I said, sighing. "Even better now, though."

"Where's Em?"

"Mom hasn't shown up yet," I said.

Edward loosened his tie and my eyes narrowed. He'd already left his shoes inside the house, but was still otherwise fully dressed. Jasper was lying on the chaise next to me, both of us turned to watch as Edward slipped his tie from around his neck. He unbuttoned his shirt next, then took off his belt. I could feel Jasper next to me, the intensity and connection that ran through the three of us sparking. By the time Edward had his slacks off and folded, down to just his undershirt and boxers, I was breathing heavier, my body alive and ready to see him, to feel him.

The last two pieces of clothing fell onto the chair next to us and he stood at the edge of the pool. He dove in, then popped up, water dripping from his head onto his shoulders and lower.

"You coming in?" he asked, standing up and slicking his hair back.

I didn't need to be asked twice, but I was glad Jasper helped me get up again. I'd forgotten just how difficult moving at nine months pregnant was. The water helped with that, and I was smiling once I was in the water again, semi-buoyant and light feeling.

"I missed you," Edward said, pulling me into him.

"Same," I said, pressing our lips together.

Jasper swam behind me, and when I was between them again, I was reminded of how much I'd missed the three of us, together. I missed how it felt to have them both inside of me at the same time. Sure, we'd connected in other ways, but there was almost nothing that felt as amazing as when the three of us were together.

As Jasper pressed harder, his hands slid between Edward and me. Edward broke our kiss and they kissed as much as they could with my belly getting in the way, which made me laugh.

"Inside," Jasper rasped.

Edward held my hand, helping me up and out of the pool, then into my towel. I took my swimsuit off on the way to the bedroom, Jasper doing the same, and by the time we got to our room, I was more than ready for everything they wanted to give.

Lying on the bed, I watched them kiss and touch each other, standing at the foot of the bed in a non-verbal dance of who was going to be where. I was impatient, already teased by seeing them, and ready for someone to be doing something. Finally, when Jasper turned and grabbed my legs, I let out a breath of relief.

"Can you roll over?" he asked.

I nodded and got on all fours, watching as Edward grabbed a condom and lube. I had to look down at the comforter, my excitement soaring. Jasper's fingers played with me, slicking and penetrating. I pushed back against him when he finally pressed the head of his cock just inside me, teasing. His hands grabbed my hips, pulling me back harshly and causing me to gasp.

He didn't let go or move, just stayed inside me completely as I heard Edward getting him ready. The noises they made together were so distinctive and sexy. When Jasper began to move again, it was all of us making soft noises, seeking and finding our pleasure.

I was the first to collapse, all of the effort exhausting me more than I already was. Edward and Jasper followed shortly after, though. We laid there, kissing and touching, for several minutes. Edward got up first, to clean up I guessed.

"Did you hear that?" I asked Jasper, shifting onto my other side in an attempt to hear better.

"Yeah," he said. He got up and grabbed some pants. "Stay here."

I felt nauseated with worry, but moments later, with the bedroom door now open, I heard Emma's squeal of delight.

Once I had clothes on and had warned Edward, we walked out into the living room.

"Hi," I said to Esme, my cheeks on fire with shame.

"Hey there," she said, clearly biting back a giggle. "Trying to get my other granddaughter out early?"

I rolled my eyes and laughed with her. "Sorry," I said.

"Nothing to be sorry for. I'm headed home, though. Carlisle will be home and I need to get supper finished." She kissed my cheek. "See you tomorrow."

{.}

By April, the invitations had been sent and we were waiting to hear back on how many kids would be at the camp. I was also ready to explode, and worried up to my eyes that I wouldn't be able to get the new baby a passport in time for the cruise in May. If she was late, we were so screwed. Even expedited, it was cutting it close.

"Ready?" Jasper asked, having packed everything we'd need to watch some games in the state cup.

It was completely adorable to watch the kids play their hearts out, and I knew Jasper was having to hold himself back from coaching from the sidelines. Even though the invitations had been sent to the camp kids, Jasper wanted to get a sense of how the kids played, and what to expect. He'd never coached anyone, much less middle schoolers.

Since the games we were going to were on the weekend, Edward decided to go as well. He mostly kept an eye on Emma, while I helped Jasper and took notes if he needed. By the end of the last game on the second day, I'd done more walking than in recent memory. I was trying to stay hydrated, but having to go pee every thirty minutes didn't help at all.

Emma was packed into the car, Edward in the driver's seat and Jasper in the backseat. I sat down and shifted my weight, then realized my water had broken.

"Oh shit," I said. "You might as well just go straight to the hospital. Apparently your new girl is eager to play with you, Dada."

As Edward drove like a bat out of hell, Jasper texted and called people while timing my contractions. We got to the hospital in no time, and I was in a room and ready to push way faster than with Emma. When my bald baby girl was laid in my arms, I was crying, as were Jasper and Edward.

"She's so small," I whispered. "Was Emma this small?"

I couldn't remember her ever being quite that tiny.

"She was," Jasper said.

"Well, should we let them see her or have a few more private minutes?" I asked.

"A few more minutes," Edward said.

I realized they weren't private — the doctor was still in the room, as well as a nurse, but it was just the three of us there, as far as I could tell. I rubbed her sticky head, laughing when she looked up at me.

"Hi there, sweetheart," I said quietly.

Jasper leaned in, kissing her cheek, and Edward's hands joined mine on her head.

"What's her name, Mama?" Edward asked.

"I think we'll go with what we talked about. She looks like a Sophie, right?"

They agreed, and we kissed and snuggled each other as close as we could. I thought about how I'd planned to leave the father blank on her birth certificate as well, and the steps I'd taken to ensure that if anything happened to me, Edward and Jasper would become her joint legal guardians. Washington state law allowed for gay couples to adopt, and it had eased my mind when I realized I could set it up that way.

The three of us had drawn up co-Powers of Attorney for each of us, so I knew we were as safe and protected as we could possibly be. The legal binds helped ease my worry that something would happen to me and Emma's custody would be up in the air, since I was the only person listed on her birth certificate. Now we had Sophie to consider, too. I was nearly giddy with excitement that we'd expanded our family.

Carlisle and Esme were in the waiting room, and as soon as we were out of labor and delivery and into a regular hospital room, they came in with Emma.

"Ready to meet your sister?" Jasper asked, lifting her up on his lap.

Emma touched the baby's head, then gave her a kiss on the nose.

"Baby!" she said, pulling back but blowing more kisses.

"Her name is Sophie," Edward said. "Sophie Elizabeth."

Esme and Edward shared a look at the mention of Sophie's middle name, which was also Esme's. She sat in a chair and wiped her eyes, clearly overcome with emotion.

"Sophie was Jasper's grandmother's middle name, too," I said.

"You guys," Esme said, wiping more tears. "You're too much. Thank you."

"It's our honor," I said. "She's lucky to have such a great grandma."

{.}

After we were discharged, Sue and Charlie came up for a few days. I was glad to have their hands to help, since Jasper was still working more than full-time at the foundation. Sue helped me get Sophie and Emma's birth certificates together for their passports. When we were back at the house, after I'd applied, Sue took Emma to the park and I napped with Sophie as much as I could. Even though I had so much help, I was exhausted all the time.

Before I felt like I'd even had time to breathe, it was time for the cruise. Jasper's birthday happened to be the week before, so we agreed to try and sneak away for some time on the ship to have a nice meal together. Esme and Carlisle had been more than generous, and said they'd have no problem with both girls.

I put on a pretty dress, and some Spanx, praying I wouldn't leak breastmilk everywhere while we ate.

The food somehow tasted extra good as we ate, and I loved the way they were looking at each other, and me. I prayed the walls weren't as thin as I thought they were, or that we could be quiet. Sophie was just about four weeks old, and though I wasn't cleared for — or feeling up to — full-on sex, I knew we were going to have fun together.

My last bite of steak was the best, buttery and soft. I drank my red wine, knowing I'd need to pump and dump in the room, without guilt. When we shared three desserts between us, I didn't care about the calories or my thighs.

Instead, I focused on their lips. The way Jasper's tongue snaked out to catch a drip of chocolate from Edward's spoon. The way Edward's mouth wrapped around my fork, pulling a strawberry from it more sensually than should have been allowed in public.

Walking to our stateroom was a sobering experience. We needed to get the girls and settle them into the other room, getting them both to sleep before we had any amount of time together. They were both out of sorts from the travel, but it was easier than I'd thought to get them down. Jasper and Edward had tackled getting Emma tucked in while I gave Soph a bottle I'd pumped earlier. Finally, she was in the crib and asleep, but I knew it wouldn't be for long.

I looked up from the crib to see Jasper and Edward standing at the door.

"Ready?" I asked, smiling.

We spent the hours we had indulging in each other. I watched them make love with each other, then tried to relax as they worked together to coax an orgasm from my body. I slept like a log, until Soph was awake again, Jasper gently nudging me.

"Sorry, she's hungry and I can't help," he said. "We're out of pumped milk."

"S'ok," I said, sitting up and wiping my eyes.

I took Sophie from him and watched her eyes dart between us, no doubt already trying to figure out exactly who all these people handling her were. My eyes closed as she nursed, and Jasper stayed next to me, touching her and talking to her.

"You excited to find out how many kids are coming?" I asked, my eyes open again.

"Yeah," he said, his smile almost as wide as his face. "Jeff hasn't emailed yet. It's driving me crazy."

"I'm sure he'll tell you soon. Edward's really out, huh?" I asked, laughing. "You two go at it again after I was asleep?"

He laughed. "No, we did watch a movie, though."

"You can go back to sleep," I said.

"I like being awake with you guys. I missed this with Em."

"You're never going to miss another moment like this, you know? You're such a great dad."

"Thank you," he said, leaning closer to kiss me. "I love you. I'm so happy."

"Me, too."

The next night was Esme's birthday dinner, so we all dressed up again, and I put the girls into dresses. We enjoyed our fancy dinner and I was surprised how well-behaved Emma was. Sophie was generally calm, but I ducked out of the dining area to nurse her, having made a bad choice in dresses, which basically required me to lower my whole top.

In the lounge of the bathroom, we sat on the couch and spoke without words. I could see her at five, twirling with her big sister. I wondered if they would get along in their teen years and band against us. How would she explain to her first boyfriend that she had one mom and two dads? Would she want Edward or Jasper to walk her down the aisle, or would it be the three of them?

So many thoughts flashed before me, and I realized I was crying right on to her. When she was done, I stayed in the silence of the room for a minute longer, holding her close to me. I wanted to push every hope, dream, and sliver of love right into her.

"Time to get back to everyone," I whispered.

The rest of the night moved in slow motion, maybe because I was consciously trying to remember everything. It was a night I wanted to remember when I was ninety years old. The way Carlisle laughed and looked at his wife with such reverence and love. The way Jasper and Edward looked at me, similar but different to Carlisle, and each other. The way my girls were loved by everyone, and fussed over.

When I was back in my room, I wrote down notes like I'd never done before. I decided I wanted to start keeping a journal, something to hand to my girls all about their lives. Even while I nursed Sophie, I wrote. My hand cramped, and I wrote more. I went back to when I'd met the boys, way way back in high school, before I ever really noticed them.

I wrote about the smart and shy Edward. Jasper, who seemed troubled in so many ways, but who I later realized was just internalizing the grief of his adoptive parents dying.

I scribbled about that night at the airport. The intense connection the boys shared before I came along, and the way their hearts were open to me, once I was part of the picture. I wanted my children to know that deep sense of connection I had to each of them, and that the three of us had.

I laid down so many words I ran out of paper and energy. I fell asleep in a chair in the living area of the room, waking up with the sun and the sound of my newborn.

{.}

Back at home on Sunday, Jasper helped me do laundry while Edward played with Emma. The cruise had been amazing, and I was excited for the week ahead of us. We were finalizing the list of kids coming in for the summer, and I knew Jasper was eager to see the final numbers. Jeff never had emailed him.

We woke up later than normal, after Edward had gone, but I was glad. I knew Jasper planned to cut our hours a bit since I was exhausted and we had to bring Sophie with us. It was nice to have an office together so I could close the door and breastfeed, but waking up early would have been an added layer of stress.

Instead, we strolled in, grabbing coffee for the staff on our way.

"You're back!" Jeff called, half-running to help carry the beverages and breakfast.

"Hey. How's it going?" Jasper asked. "Did we get some RSVPs?"

I knew Jasper was secretly worried no one would attend; that his camp and whole foundation would be a flop. Jeff's smile spoke volumes, though, and I could feel the excited butterflies in my belly.

"Yep, we got a few," Jeff said, being coy. "Come on, drop this stuff off and we'll talk."

We walked to the break room, leaving the bagels and coffee and saying hello to people on our way. Most of them had seen Sophie before we'd left, but a few hadn't, so it felt like it took hours to get to our offices. I knew Jasper was chomping at the bit.

Turning the corner, I saw two piles on Jasper's desk, and I got immensely nervous. I recognized the rectangles as the RSVP postcards, and wondered which pile was which.

"Are these the nos?" Jasper asked, pointing at the huge pile.

Jeff's smile grew. "We're going to need more staff," he said, not directly answering.

"Holy shit," Jasper said. "All these?" His eyes were wide and full of excitement.

"And more on my desk," Jeff said. "I'm not kidding, dude, we need more staff."

Jasper hollered, startling Sophie, and everyone in the offices began to filter out to the main area.

"I can't believe it," he said, tearing up.

"You should," Jeff said. "This is going to be amazing. All these kids, training and learning, thanks to you."

In the privacy of our office, after the staff had all gone back to their work and Jeff had retreated behind his closed door, I put Sophie in her bouncy chair and hugged Jasper.

"You're amazing," I said.

"I couldn't have done it without you," he said. "You and Edward and Emma and Sophie. Jesus. It's mind-blowing. I never thought…"

"I know," I said quietly. "I never thought, either."

{.}

**A/N2: So, I know several of you have asked how much longer there is to go, and I've given different answers. I always thought I would write several more chapters, but I wrote this today and realized this is the end. I could tell this story for the rest of my life and probably still have dramatic moments they could live through. The essential message would be the same, as would their reactions, and the way this family functions. The Trip Home was the first fanfic I ever wrote, and these characters hold such a deep and special place in my heart. I cannot tell you how much I cried today, realizing this story had reached a natural ending point.**

**I am truly sorry if you're upset that there isn't more. I would much rather you leave completely in love with this family than wondering why the hell I keep going, or think I'm still writing to review whore. There will be at least one futuretake. There will be at least two outtakes — one from EPOV, one from JPOV, and then there's the Carlisle/Esme sideshot. I will put them in the body of this story, so they will post as chapters and you won't need to add anything else to your updates. I will mark this story complete once those additions have been made.**

**Please indulge me in one last extended thank you. To DrTammy, Kimpy0464, afeistyginger, stephk0525, Legna989, and Kassiah, who have all been gracious enough to give of their time for this story that I write — thank you.**

**To TwilightMundi, who keeps me sane, is never afraid to call me on my bullshit, and who is supportive and uplifting even when I don't know my head from a hole in the ground. I love you. Thank you for everything you do for me.**

**To tarasueme, mjinaspen, apolloandbaby, theraingirl4, and anyone else that has to hear me complain on a daily basis, and who keeps me positive and focused — thank you. You guys are amazing. **

**To you, reading this, THANK YOU. You are the reason that I write and post. You are the reason these characters saw the light of day. You are amazing. You take time from your busy days to read (and leave reviews), and I appreciate you SO very much.**

**Up next? Good Boy, after the outtakes/futuretakes/sideshots. **** I hope you'll be back with me for that Edward&Bella story! If not, I wish you a journey of happiness, love, and exploration. Thank you for giving me the gift of your time**


	18. JPOV Futuretake

**A/N: Thank you to TwilightMundi, who wields a wicked sexy red pen.**

**All copyright and trademarked items mentioned herein belong to their respective owners; the remaining content is all mine. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.**

JPOV

Adapting to having small girls around was … interesting. I'd never had a sister, neither had Edward, and sometimes, things got a little comical.

The first time Emma talked us into a tea party, Bella snapped a photo of Edward and me dressed up — feather boa, society lady hat, tiny teacup at our lips. It was one of the best afternoons I'd had in a long time.

I wasn't sure what to think when Sophie asked me to paint her nails, something I'd never done before, but we got there. It was surprisingly messy and smelly, and way harder than I thought it would be. Of course, then she asked to paint mine, too. Yeah, I rocked sparkly hot pink nail polish for my girl. Edward got light pink.

There was nothing I wouldn't do for my girls, the love I felt for them growing exponentially with every year. With every breath. But thank god Bella showed them how to use makeup. I got the pleasure of teaching them both how to play soccer, and I loved watching them learn the game and become better players.

Because the girls were so close in age, as they grew up, they shared clothes and social circles sometimes, but couldn't have been more opposite in personality. When I looked at photos of our family, I could see the cohesiveness of _us_. The girls looked similar, but different in ways outsiders might not be able to pinpoint. Watching them, though, and the way they tackled problems, never failed to remind me that even though they were genetically two of us, they were entirely made up of the three of us, in every way that was important.

"But who's my _real_ dad?" Emma asked in middle school.

Edward and I looked at each other over the dinner table.

"Emma, I understand you're curious," Bella said. "But what have we said every time you've asked that?"

"That they're both my real dads, but Mom, you know what I mean." She pouted, arms crossed over her chest, eyebrow furrowed.

"Ems, I'll make you a deal," Edward said. "When you turn eighteen, if you still feel like you need to know, you can go get a blood test. I'm sure Dad will agree to that," he said, motioning his head toward me. I nodded. "You just need to agree to keep the results private, to yourself. We both love you with the depth a father would love a daughter, and we agreed a long time ago that it didn't matter to any of us who was genetically connected. The bonds of love run deeper than those of genetics. I understand and respect your wishes, and we only ask that you respect ours in return."

"That sounds fair," she mumbled, eyeing her dinner plate.

{.}

Bella had become the head of our household in so many ways, but especially when it came to the girls. We tried to rotate one-on-one time with them, and then had family nights, but they were close in ways that I was grateful for — I drew the line at pedicures and spa trips. While I wasn't uncomfortable talking to the girls about their bodies, as they grew up, it was obviously more comfortable for them to talk to their mom.

It still made me smile from ear-to-ear to think about that — that Bella was a mom. That we'd created life together, the three of us.

"Dad!" Sophie shouted. "Emma won't share her perfume."

Somewhere in the elementary years, the girls morphed to calling both Edward and me Dad. I missed the days of Daddy and Dada, but it was another moment of them being independent.

"Emma?" I asked, no judgment in my voice.

"Dad, it's the perfume Grandma gave me," she implored. The way her green eyes shined when she referred to Esme made my throat tighten. "If it was the cheap stuff, you know I'd share."

I put an arm around Sophie, squeezing her as I looked down at her. "Soph, you know that perfume is important to Emma. She'd never ask you to share the earrings Grandma gave you. Go finish getting ready, you don't want to be late."

They walked away still harassing each other, making me laugh.

We'd almost lost Esme the year before, to cancer. It seemed so unfair, she took such great care of herself, but that was the thing, cancer was a bitch that didn't discriminate. We shaved our heads when she lost her hair, even Emmett, who had grown to love Esme like a second mother.

Our families had sort of fused together, bonding through tough times and being there to support each other and celebrate the good. Alice working for Edward turned out to be the best thing possible, and not long after, Rose came to work for me at the Foundation. Well, actually, she worked for Bella in an offshoot — the portion of the Foundation that helped poly families. At first, her title and position were kept private and she told people she worked for me helping out with the camps, but eventually she decided to stop hiding where she actually worked.

Bella had begun an offshoot from the Foundation to offer free legal assistance to other families like ours. The work was overwhelming for her, once word got out, and she and Rose worked to get other lawyers to offer pro bono assistance part-time. It brought her a great sense of pride that she was able to put her degree to use in exactly the way her heart wanted.

{.}

Bella walked in the front door, looking frantic as ever.

"Shit, I'm late," she huffed, setting her laptop bag down. "Are they already gone?"

I laughed, wrapping my arms around her and leaning down for a kiss. "Hi. How was your day, dear?" I asked. "No, they're not gone yet. They aren't even ready."

Her body relaxed in my arms and she tilted her head up, our lips moving together again.

"Oh god, gross," Sophie said. "Jared's going to be here in a minute, can't you two be normal for once?"

"Well, normal for us would mean your Dad was here, too," Bella pointed out.

Sophie groaned, pacing.

"Where is Edward?" Bella asked, her palm on my chest. If I was right, her voice held just a hint of salaciousness that told me once the girls were at their dance, I was going to be a very happy man.

"In the study," I said.

"Oh, good," she said, grinning. "Sophie, is your sister ready?" Bella called, walking away from me and toward the girls' rooms. "Emma?"

Yes, I was going to be a VERY happy man later.

"How are our kids old enough to be going to dances?" I asked, falling onto the couch in the study as Edward worked on his laptop. "Remember when Bella would nurse them right here? Now they're dating… Fuck, we're old."

Edward looked over his glasses at me, smirking. "You're aware time keeps moving, right?"

"I don't have to like it."

"What's gotten into you today?" he asked, standing up and walking to where I was. "I'm supposed to be the emo one." He straddled my hips, then rested his body against mine. "Seriously, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just realized they'll be gone soon," I said, sighing and running my fingers in the bits of grey at Edward's temple. "I'm not ready for that."

"Mhm," he said, agreeing as he set his head on my chest. "We'll be free to travel more, though. I know how much you love that."

"That's true. And we can walk around naked."

We laughed and Edward's moved his hands up my chest, then sat up, weaving his fingers into my hair. "That will be a definite benefit," he said, smiling. As he leaned down to kiss me, I sat up, meeting him halfway. It had been weeks, months maybe, since I'd wanted him at that level of intensity. It wasn't even a want anymore, it was raw need.

Bella cleared her throat in the doorway. "Boys are here," she said, giggling.

How had we missed the doorbell? Edward and I had practiced our best intimidating dad looks that morning, ready to meet the punks that wanted to corrupt our angels.

Two awkward, gangly teens stood in the doorway in suits. At least they were dressed appropriately.

"Hello Mr. Whitlock-Cullen," said the one on the right. "And Mr. Whitlock-Cullen."

He reached out to shake our hands, and I had to laugh. We didn't need to practice the intimidation tactics, the kid looked like if I said 'boo' a little too loud, he'd run away screaming.

"Dad, this is Bradley," Sophie said.

"And this is Kevin," Emma said.

Kevin stuck his hand out to shake ours, clearly the more nervous of the two.

After Edward took several pictures of the four of them, we reconvened by the door.

"Now boys," Edward began. "We expect our daughters home by curfew and not a second later."

I bit my lip, wanting to laugh so hard. I didn't even know how it was possible to have teenagers that we were responsible for when we barely felt older than them on the inside.

"Daddy, didn't you say we could stay out a little late tonight?" Emma asked, full of little-girl smiles and words, clearly trying to charm Edward.

That only made me want to laugh harder, since we'd anticipated and discussed it the night before, the three of us.

"I don't know," Edward hedged.

"Come on, Edward," I nudged, playing Good Cop. "They seem like nice guys. Let's give them a little extra time since it's a special night."

Bella looked at us and I could tell she was holding back laughter, too.

Edward narrowed his eyes at the boys, then turned to Emma. "I guess so. But only an extra hour."

The girls squealed.

"Keep your phones on," Bella warned. "I expect you to answer if I text you."

"Okay, Mom," they said, hugging her.

"Have fun. Be safe," she whispered.

Neither girl would have seen the signs, but Edward grabbed my hand, squeezing, as we watched Bella try to hold it together. Her expression was tight, and I knew she wouldn't say anything else for fear the tears would spill out.

The three of us crowded the door as we watched them get in to the shiny, black limo.

"This night needs a great bottle of wine," Edward said when the door was closed.

"And chocolate," Bella said.

We gathered in the living room after Edward grabbed a bottle of red and opened it. I'd gotten glasses and Bella had brought the good chocolate stash — the one we hid from the kids.

We nibbled and sipped, surrounding Bella on the couch.

"Can you believe how scared that kid looked?" I asked no one in particular.

"Soph said he has a poster of you on his wall," Bella said, a laugh bubbling from her throat along with her words.

Oh shit.

"What?"

"Yep," she said, laughing. "He loooooves you, Whitlock."

I rolled my eyes. "At least he has good taste."

They laughed and we touched our glasses together.

"Can you believe Emma's going to graduate this year?" Edward asked.

"No," Bella and I said.

"Does it ever make you wish we had more?" I asked.

"All the time," Bella said. "I'm happy with what I have, though, and I wouldn't mind a little privacy in our lives again, but I'll miss them so much."

Edward and I set our glasses on the coffee table, then he did the same with hers.

"Don't be sad, sweetheart," he said.

"I'm not," she said, still crying, and I had to bite back a laugh again.

I looked at Edward over Bella's shoulder and with a familiar nod and smile, knew the plan.

"Come on, you," I said to Bella, standing up and hoisting her over my shoulder. I had a good grip on her legs and knew I wasn't going to drop her.

"Jasper!" she shouted, but was laughing. "Put me down." She swatted at my ass, but knew better than to think that would stop me.

"Oh, I will. And then I'm gonna make you scream another way."

Edward was walking right behind me, his hands and mouth lavishing attention on my body as much as he could while we walked. When we were finally in the bedroom, I carefully helped Bella down from my back.

When she was in our bed, clothed or naked, she wore a smile that was uniquely ours. I knew the only other person that would ever see it again was Edward, and it was so fucking sexy. Edward had a similar look, more of a smirk, and I'm sure I had one of my own.

"Don't break a hip, old man," Bella said, cheeky as ever.

"At least he'll have a great doctor, if he does," Edward said, turning to pull my shirt off.

By the time we both had our clothes off, we turned and Bella was in the exact same position as before, only completely undressed.

"Someone's eager," I teased.

"Seems like lots of someones are eager," she said, opening her hands and motioning for us to join her. "C'mere."

Bella's body had been changed by time, hell, all of ours had, but I didn't see flaws or imperfections, I saw life and experiences. It was the same with Edward, who's body had morphed. His runs kept him lean and his legs muscular, but he took up rock climbing with me and his upper body became chiseled. The grey at his temples added to his almost always immaculately groomed look, making him even sexier.

As Bella laid back, I looked at her body, Edward pressed against me from behind.

"God, you're sexy," I said, licking my lips.

She laughed and her head tilted to the side, brushing me off as usual. It was frustrating, but if I'd learned anything about Bella, and perhaps most women in general, it was that she would never see her true beauty. It just meant Edward and I would spend the rest of our lives trying to get her to open her eyes and see.

I wanted to take my time, remind them that we weren't kids anymore — we could luxuriate in our experiences together since there was no need to hurry up during naptime, and since no one was home, we could make all the noise we wanted. Edward moved around from where he'd been teasing and torturing me, no doubt having the same thoughts I was, and laid next to Bella. For a moment, I stood back and watched his body cover hers. I watched as his hand slid up the curve of her belly to her breast, cupping and squeezing before he teased the nipple. I watched his mouth move with her lips, tongues reaching to taste and lave, frantic breaths and swallows between kisses.

When he began to move lower on her body, I took the remaining step between us and joined him. One of us on each side, we worked together and teased her as long as we could. Starting at her toes, we kissed and licked our way up her legs. I nibbled her thigh, then the seam of where her leg met her body, and then met Edward at the flushed, swollen lips of her pussy.

Kissing her clit and Edward at the same time wasn't logistically easy, but the way she responded, the noises and sounds, made the effort more than worth it. Periodically, Edward or I would lift away from her, kissing one another hard, and her taste would linger between us. When the focus was back to Bella, we hooked our fingers together and pushed them into her. Together, we brought her up and over the crest of her first orgasm, both of us watching her face as it contorted with pleasure, dirty words spilling from her lips.

Edward pulled my mouth to his again, kissing me hard as his body pressed into mine. The way his cock nudged against my thigh, his whole body hungry and ready, made me even more needy. I turned away from him and climbed onto the bed, facing Bella. When we were aligned, skin against skin, my lips met hers and moved carefully.

I waited, knowing Edward was putting on a condom and grabbing lube, and teased Bella. At the first moment I felt Edward's cock behind me, pushing in slightly, I moved a hand to line my cock up and push in to Bella. The feeling of both of them, Bella beneath me surrounding me, and Edward above me, penetrating me, was something I'd never tire of. I wasn't always the lucky guy in the middle, but when I was, it was outstanding.

As Edward thrust harder, I grunted, being pushed deeper into Bella. My arms trembled with the effort and exertion by the time she'd come, her hand snaked between us. I was so close to my own orgasm, and knew Edward must've been as well. His body leaned against mine, his hand wrapped around my body and stroked my cock once Bella scooted away toward the headboard. I watched as her body writhed, her fingers still playing with her pussy, and needed to come.

"Please," I whispered to Edward, one of my hands moving behind me as much as I could in an attempt to pull him closer.

He complied, pushing harder and faster, and began to make his own noises. His hand fisting my cock squeezed, pulling and driving me to the absolute edge, and then over. I couldn't hold back any longer, and I came on Bella's abdomen in streams.

The first to move away, Edward started the shower as I helped Bella up after wiping her off. We met in the shower, and laughed as we got clean.

"I was worried about Emma," Bella confessed. "She didn't want to bring Kevin home. She was worried what he'd think of her two dads."

Edward had his arms around her and I stepped closer, the slip of the soap allowing our bodies to glide together.

"Didn't he already know? It's not exactly a state secret," I said.

"It's one thing to know and another thing to see and experience it," she said.

"What about Soph?" Edward asked, grabbing the shampoo. He guided Bella to turn around and kissed her shoulder before squeezing some of the shampoo into his hand and lathering her up.

"She's fine. She's always fine. You know she doesn't care what our family looks like."

It was funny how easy-going Sophie was, compared to Emma. She was younger, so maybe her personality would change, but she'd been that way practically from birth.

The bubbles rinsed from her hair and down the drain, and I lathered up to wash Edward's hair, taking a little more time than he had with her as I massaged his scalp.

By the time the boys dropped our daughters off, we were in our pajamas, still sipping wine, in the living room. Bella tucked the girls in after a quick chat, promising to take them out for a girls' brunch in the morning where they could tell her everything. Watching her with them, seeing our whole family work together, was an amazing gift.

{.}

Emma never did ask for a DNA test, something I honestly worried about until she was well into her twenties.

I knocked softly on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Of course, Dad."

When I was inside, I took a moment to look at her.

"When did you become such a softie?" Sophie asked, wiping the tear on my cheek.

"When did you grow up?"

"She did it first," she said, using words I'd heard hundreds of time during her youth, and I laughed.

"That she did," I said, moving to Emma. "Anything I can do for you?"

"Not just yet. I need a few more minutes, then you're on. You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Edward stood by my side, his hand in mine, and we shared a smile as we watched our oldest daughter put the finishing touches on her hair and makeup as she got ready to be married. Bella was helping with her dress as she stood, doing something I had no idea about, with some part of the dress I only knew as the train.

"Okay, I'm going to go have my escort bring me down the aisle. See you there," Bella said, stopping to kiss Edward and me.

Sophie was living with her boyfriend, unable to settle down she said. The way she was wild and free with her love always made me laugh. And proud.

I watched one of the loves of my life walk out of the room, and looked at the other.

"Ready?" I asked Edward.

"Thank you for letting us do this," I said, looping my arm through Emma's.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Dad."

**A/N2: Thanks for being patient with me. I'm working on the other outtakes, but it was easier for my poor brain to move forward and then go back and do the outtakes than to do the past events first. I hope you understand and enjoyed.**

**I'm hoping to post the next outtake one week from Wednesday, May 2. Before that, there will be an entry in the Remember When This Was Fun Contest. :)  
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